Outgoing mayor Sam Sullivan is asking the Vancouver Police Department to formally investigate the leak of a document outlining a secret $100 million loan guarantee by the city to the developer of the Olympic Athletes Village.
The loan guarantee to Millennium was quietly passed at an in-camera city council meeting last month. A document assigned to councillor and mayoral hopeful Peter Ladner disappeared after the meeting, and appeared on NPA councillor B.C. Lee's desk two days later -- after the information was leaked to media.
See related links: Ladner says leaked Olympic document was his
In an open letter released Tuesday, Sullivan promised full accountability over funding to the Olympic athletes village, but said keeping details of negotiations between city officials and the project's partners confidential is the law.
A spokesperson for the Vancouver Police confirms the request for a public investigation.
Const. Tim Fanning says police will determine if a criminal offense has occurred. Fanning says he's not sure what charges could be laid in connection to the missing documents, but theft could be considered.
Globe and Mail reporter Gary Mason, who broke the story last week, has never revealed where he received the information about the loan.
With only three days before the civic election, the 2010 loan has become a hot button issue with Sullivan's political heir defending the secret decision while the opposing parties call for full disclosure.
Sullivan says the best interests of taxpayers aren't served by "conducting negotiations by headline," and as soon as lawyers give the okay, details of deal will be released.
