michelle staples – Duncan Taxpayers

Tent Site On Buller Street In Downtown Ladysmith

Posted on May 21, 2020May 21, 2020 by admin

I happened to be in Ladysmith on 15 May 2020 when I came across a new Tent Site under construction on a vacant lot owned by the City of Ladysmith across from 11 Buller Street in downtown Ladysmith.

I noticed that Duncan Mayor Michelle Staples was present and apparently involved in the construction so I took some photographs of the site.

Here are some of the photos I took of the Buller Street Tent Site construction on 15 May 2020:

Duncan Mayor Michelle Staples (left) at construction of Tent Site on Buller Street in Ladysmith, 15 May 2020. (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)

Construction of Tent Site on Buller Street in Ladysmith, 15 May 2020. (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)

Here is a map showing the location of the Tent Site across from 11 Buller Street:

As I was taking these photos I was approached by Ladysmith Mayor Aaron Stone who wanted to know who I was and why I was taking photographs. Mayor Stone said that publishing photographs showing the faces of workers erecting the tent site would expose these workers to “aggressive actions” although he didn’t elaborate on who would initiate these “aggressive actions” or why these “aggressive actions” would be undertaken.

I note that the Cowichan Valley Citizen has published photographs of North Cowichan Councillor Rosalie Sawrie at the Fuller Lake Arena Tent Site construction and no such concerns about “aggressive actions” have been expressed.

Here are some photos of the completed Tent Site on Buller Street in 19 May 2020:

Tent Site on Buller Street in Ladysmith, 19 May 2020. (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)

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One Cowichan On What A Climate Emergency Declaration Means

Posted on July 31, 2019July 31, 2019 by admin

At its Council Meeting on 15 July 2019 the City of Duncan passed a Climate Emergency Declaration, after receiving a petition from One Cowichan containing 1,015 signatures.

Here is the Cowichan Valley Citizen article on this City of Duncan Climate Change Emergency Declaration. Here is One Cowichan’s online release about the City of Duncan Climate Change Emergency Declaration.

These Climate Change Emergency Declarations are being strongly advocated by One Cowichan, which held a meeting at Duncan United Church on 23 July 2019 to promote the passage of Climate Change Emergency Declarations by local governments.

Here is a sort video on the One Cowichan YouTube channel of Jane Kilthei of One Cowichan and Cara Pike of Climate Access responding to my question about what a Climate Emergency Declaration actually entails and what One Cowichan expects local governments to actually do after passing a Climate Change Emergency Declaration.

Jenni Capps, candidate for Duncan City Council (photo: Cowichan Valley Citizen) — Jenni Capps, Duncan City Councillor (photo: Cowichan Valley Citizen)

It should be noted that the Mayor of Duncan, Michelle Staples, and at least two City of Duncan Councillors – Jenni Capps and Stacey Middlemiss – are members of One Cowichan, although they were not at the meeting at Duncan United Church on 22 July.

Several Municipality of North Cowichan Councillors – including Kate Marsh, Christopher Justice and Rosalie Sawrie – are also members of One Cowichan and were present at Duncan United Church for the One Cowichan meeting on 22 July.

Cara Pike of Climate Access referred to Vancouver’s Six Big Moves. Here are some articles about the City of Vancouver’s “Six Big Moves”:

Vancouver Sun – April 2019
Georgia Straight – April 2019
City of Vancouver – April 2019
City of Vancouver – Administrative Report – April 2019 [note: PDF 53 pages]

Here is the as Declaration of Climate Emergency as passed by Duncan City Council on 15 July 2019:

June 18, 2019 Environment and Sustainability Committee Recommendations

Declaration of Climate Emergency – R-192-15

It was moved (by Councillor Jenni Capps) and seconded:

That Council recognizes that climate change constitutes an emergency for the City of Duncan;

And That staff be directed to report back to Council within 90 days regarding:

actions the City has previously taken to reduce GHG emissions;
actions the City is presently taking to reduce GHG emissions;
actions the City is taking to adapt to climate change;
an action from the Integrated Community Sustainability Plan, prioritized by the Environment and Sustainability Committee to be initiated in 2019; and
additional actions that the City could take in the short, medium and long term to further reduce GHG emissions.

CARRIED

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Duncan Mayor And Council Candidates – Which Candidates Live In Duncan And Which Ones Do Not?

Posted on October 9, 2018October 19, 2018 by admin

Earlier this year, the City of Duncan went through a divisive, and very expensive, Amalgamation Referendum which was conclusively settled on 23 June 2018 by a resounding No vote from Duncan voters. But although this Amalgamation Referendum was settled nearly four months ago the effects of the Amalgamation campaign are still on the minds of Duncan voters.

As I campaign door to door around Duncan, the first two questions I am most commonly asked by voters are:

Do you live in Duncan?; and
How did you vote on Amalgamation?

Clearly the Amalgamation Referendum is still on the minds of Duncan voters. Both of these questions are very valid and I have to admit that they are also the first two questions I ask of any candidates currently running for Mayor of Duncan or for Duncan Council.

So, for the information of Duncan voters, let’s go through the list of current candidates for Duncan Mayor and Council and show the answers to the two questions above: What was your position on Amalgamation?; and, Do you live in Duncan?.

Let’s start with the Candidates for Mayor of Duncan (in alphabetical order by surname):

Martin BARKER

Was in favour of Amalgamation
Lives in Duncan; has a business in Duncan
Registered on Duncan Voters List

Daniel HELMER

Position on Amalgamation not known
Lives in Cowichan Bay
His name does not appear in the Duncan Resident Voters List or the Duncan Non-Resident Property Electors List (which lists non-resident property owners who are allowed to vote in Duncan)

Sharon JACKSON

Against Amalgamation. [Note: Sharon Jackson also led the No Amalgamation campaign through Cowichan No Amalgamation, which was registered with ElectionsBC. Disclaimer: I volunteered on the Cowichan No Amalgamation campaign]
Lives in the CVRD [note: Sharon lived in Duncan until December 2017 when she moved to the CVRD. She has told me she plans to move back to Duncan in the near future]
Her name does not appear in the Duncan Resident Voters List or the Duncan Non-Resident Property Electors List (which lists non-resident property owners who are allowed to vote in Duncan)

Michelle STAPLES

Against Amalgamation
Lives in North Cowichan
Her name does not appear in the Duncan Resident Voters List or the Duncan Non-Resident Property Electors List (which lists non-resident property owners who are allowed to vote in Duncan)

Now for the candidates for City of Duncan Council (in alphabetical order by surname):

Mark ANDERSON

[Disclaimer: this website is run by Mark Anderson]

Against Amalgamation [note: actively campaigned against Amalgamation online and with Sharon’s Jackson’s Cowichan No Amalgamation campaign]
Lives in Duncan, has business based in Duncan
Registered on Duncan Voters List

Bob BROOKE

Against Amalgamation
Lives in Duncan
Registered on Duncan Voters List

Garry Bruce, candidate for Duncan City Council (photo: Garry Bruce)

Garry F. BRUCE

In favour of Amalgamation.
Lives In Duncan
Registered on Duncan Voters List

Roger BRUCE

Note: Incumbent Councillor

In favour of Amalgamation and actively campaigned in favour of Amalgamation with the Cowichan Pro Amalgamation campaign
Lives in North Cowichan, co-owns property in Duncan
His name does not appear in the Duncan Resident Voters List or the Duncan Non-Resident Property Electors List (which lists non-resident property owners who are allowed to vote in Duncan)

Jenni CAPPS

Against Amalgamation
Lives in Duncan
Registered on Duncan Voters List

Tom DUNCAN

Note: Incumbent Councillor

Against Amalgamation [note: actively campaigned against Amalgamation online and volunteered with Sharon’s Jackson’s Cowichan No Amalgamation campaign
Lives In Duncan
Registered on Duncan Voters List

Gordon HEPPELL

Against Amalgamation
Lives in North Cowichan, owns a business in downtown Duncan and manages the Cowichan Merchants Building in downtown Duncan
His name does not appear in the Duncan Resident Voters List or the Duncan Non-Resident Property Electors List (which lists non-resident property owners who are allowed to vote in Duncan)

Lura McCALLUM

In favour of Amalgamation
Lives in North Cowichan, co-owns a commercial building in downtown Duncan
Her name does not appear in the Duncan Resident Voters List or the Duncan Non-Resident Property Electors List (which lists non-resident property owners who are allowed to vote in Duncan)

Stacy MIDDLEMISS

Against Amalgamation
Lives in North Cowichan
Her name does not appear in the Duncan Resident Voters List or the Duncan Non-Resident Property Electors List (which lists non-resident property owners who are allowed to vote in Duncan)

George NEILSON

In favour of Amalgamation and actively campaigned for Cowichan Pro Amalgamation, including many online posts arguing in favour of Amalgamation
Lives in North Cowichan
His name does not appear in the Duncan Resident Voters List or the Duncan Non-Resident Property Electors List (which lists non-resident property owners who are allowed to vote in Duncan)

Carol NEWINGTON

In favour of Amalgamation
Lives in Duncan
Registered on Duncan Voters List

Glen SANTICS

Against Amalgamation
Lives in Duncan
His name does not appear in the Duncan Resident Voters List or the Duncan Non-Resident Property Electors List (which lists non-resident property owners who are allowed to vote in Duncan) although I know he lives in Duncan.

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Councillor Roger Bruce – Is He A City of Duncan Resident?

Posted on May 29, 2018May 30, 2018 by admin

Duncan Councillor Roger Bruce is a very vocal advocate of Amalgamation of the City of Duncan and the Municipality of North Cowichan.

In support of Amalgamation, Roger Bruce has recently released this video and posted it on Youtube:

DuncanTaxpayers.ca says No to Amalgamation of Duncan and North Cowichan

We disagree with Councillor Bruce’s pro-Amalgamation position and we urge Duncan residents to Vote No in the Amalgamation Referendum on 23 June 2018.

In the interest of clarification we would like to make some comments on another issue Councillor Bruce has raised while arguing in favour of Amalgamation.

In making various pro-Amalgamation arguments online – on Facebook and other platforms – Roger Bruce has repeatedly made statements to the effect that he is the only member of Duncan City Council who pays City of Duncan taxes.

He has also made this statement in the video shown above.

With regard to other members of Duncan City Council, we note that Councillors Michelle Bell, John Horgan and Michelle Staples are not residents of the City of Duncan and therefore do not pay residential property taxes in the City of Duncan. As far as we are aware, they do not own businesses in Duncan and do not pay City of Duncan business taxes.

City of Duncan Councillor Sharon Jackson (photo: City of Duncan)

Councillor Sharon Jackson was a Duncan resident until December 2017, when she sold her house in Duncan and moved to the CVRD. It can therefore be argued that she is not paying City of Duncan taxes at this time although we note that she was a City of Duncan taxpayer at the time of the last Municipal election in 2014 and she remained a City of Duncan taxpayer until December 2017. She has stated to us that she intends to move back into the City of Duncan as soon as she can.

Mayor Phil Kent and Councillor Tom Duncan apparently rent residential accommodation in the City of Duncan so, by Councillor Roger Bruce’s argument, Mayor Kent and Councillor Duncan do not pay City of Duncan taxes although they are City of Duncan residents. We will not address this argument here; readers can form their own opinions on that.

Councillor Bruce’s statements that he is the only person on Duncan City Council who pays City of Duncan taxes have given many people the impression that Councillor Roger Bruce lives in the City of Duncan. Apparently that is not the case; we have been informed that Councillor Bruce actually lives in the Municipality of North Cowichan.

But Councillor Bruce does pay City of Duncan taxes. He owns commercial property, on which he pays City of Duncan taxes, at the south east corner of Cairnsmore Street and Government Street. This property contains the buildings currently occupied by the 49th Parallel Grocery and the Fishbowl Cafe.

Here is a Google Street View image of this property in May 2015:

Councillor Bruce also owns adjacent properties to the south on Government Street between Cairnsmore Street and Herbert Street. In the past he has sought to develop these lots and has applied to the City of Duncan for variances for that purpose.

Here is a Google Street View image of these properties in May 2015:

So there is no doubt that Councillor Roger Bruce is a City of Duncan taxpayer. He pays City of Duncan taxes on the commercial properties shown above.

But it seems he is not a resident of the City of Duncan. We have been told that he resides in the Municipality of North Cowichan. We have asked Councillor Bruce for clarification of this but, as of this date, we have not received an answer.

So for Duncan taxpayers and residents who have heard Councillor Roger Bruce’s statement and arguments in favour of Amalgamation and that he is the only member of Duncan City Council who pays City of Duncan taxes, be aware that, while Councillor Roger Bruce is in fact a City of Duncan taxpayer, he is apparently a resident of the Municipality of North Cowichan.

This is in no way meant as a personal attack on Councillor Roger Bruce. We are simply seeking to clarify his repeated statements that he is the only member of Duncan City Council who pays City of Duncan taxes.

We urge City of Duncan residents to Vote No on 23 June 2018.