Weaponizing the integrity commissioner? New insight into Vancouver political infighting
Vancouver city hall is at the centre of political infighting – again. This time, over text messages between current and former ABC party members and a non-profit organization.
The texts viewed by CTV News – between PNE president and CEO Shelley Frost, Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung, city manager Paul Mochrie and the mayor's chief of staff Trevor Ford – outline how a complaint aimed at Vancouver Park Board commissioner and former ABC party member Brennan Bastyovanszky came to be.
In one of the messages dated Sept. 25, Ford texts Frost a link to the integrity commissioner’s website. In subsequent messages the following day, Frost then texts Kirby-Yung, Ford and Mochrie to let them know she’s submitted the complaint.
Bastyovanszky called the back-and-forth a betrayal.
“Sarah Kirby-Yung was a mentor of mine,” he said. “So I was very caught off guard by that.”
The complaint
In September, the PNE accused Bastyovanszky of using his status as an elected official to insist on back-stage access to a performance last year.
Frost lodged a complaint with Lisa Southern, the city’s integrity commissioner, but no formal investigation was conducted. That complaint was referred to by Southern as the "PNE Complaint" in a report she published Aug. 2.
When asked for more information, Southern told CTV News in a statement: “The complainant in the PNE Complaint was reluctant to provide names of those involved and ultimately advised they sought confidential advice (an informal resolution) on Dec. 20, 2023. The file was closed, and my office has received no request from the complainant for it to be reopened.”
CTV News asked to speak with Frost for this story but was provided an interview with PNE spokesperson Laura Ballance instead.
Ballance called the alleged incident “extremely serious” and added the PNE has worked hard to be apolitical. She said when Frost learned of Bastyovanszky’s alleged behaviour from staff members, she was required to report that to the board chair – Kirby-Yung.
“It has nothing to do with politics,” she said.
Ballance said Kirby-Yung then contacted the mayor’s office, which reached out to Frost advising her to make a complaint.
'Egregious situation'
In an FOI package shared with CTV News, Frost emails a redacted name on Sept. 26, asking, “Can you review my tracked changes and let me know if you have any concerns. I have been a bit bolder in my language.”
CTV News asked Ballance who Frost was seeking feedback from, but Ballance said she did not know the exact details.
When asked if the PNE should be taking direction from the mayor’s office, Ballance said the PNE has a 114-year history of doing the right thing.
“I think what is being lost here is the fact there was a very egregious situation that occurred,” she added – referring to the substance of the complaint.
Bastyovanszky – who was ousted from the party and is now an independent and park board chair – said it was part of his civic duties to thank performers.
“There’s absolutely nothing wrong with me going to thank leaders in our community,” he said. He called the text messages – which are also referenced in Southern’s Aug. 2 report – “political interference.”
“It’s an absolute pattern of behaviour,” he said.
'Real fear'
Trevor Ford, the mayor’s chief of staff, said there was a "real fear" that Bastyovanszky’s alleged behaviour would be buried.
“That’s not the way we operate,” he said.
He said he advised Frost to submit an integrity commissioner complaint, which was supported by Paul Mochrie. A text message sent by Mochrie to Frost said, “I definitely agree with him (Ford) that it warrants a complaint to the integrity commissioner.”
Ford balked at suggestions of political interference.
“I would prefer to say I was doing my due diligence, saying use the system in place to handle this stuff,” Ford said. “I make no bones about that. I think it's silly to suggest because there’s a major accusation like that, that it should simply be ignored – no.”
Hamish Telford, an associate professor of political science at the University of the Fraser Valley, said it’s possible the office of the integrity commissioner is becoming weaponized.
“(It's possible) that people are using this process now for political ends and that puts the ethics commissioner in a very difficult spot,” he said. “Trying to sort out what is a genuine complaint and what might be political maneuvering by various actors.”
The PNE typically extends tickets to stakeholders and politicians, but this year, Bastyovanszky said he was not offered one.
“It’s petty,” he said.
Ballance said Bastyovanszky was not invited due to what happened last summer, but that he is not banned from attending the exhibition.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.7033216.1726021317!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Kamala Harris goes on offence against Donald Trump in combative debate
Democratic U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris put Republican Donald Trump on the defensive at a combative U.S. presidential debate on Tuesday with a stream of attacks on abortion limits, his fitness for office and his myriad legal woes.
Key quotes from the Trump-Harris 2024 U.S. presidential debate
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris and former U.S. president Donald Trump took the stage on Tuesday night for their first and only scheduled presidential debate before the Nov. 5 election.
FACT CHECK: A look at the false and misleading claims made during the Trump-Harris debate
In their first and perhaps only debate, former U.S. president Donald Trump and U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris described the state of the country in starkly different terms. As the two traded jabs, some old false and misleading claims emerged along with some new ones.
Trump campaign falsely accuses immigrants in Ohio of abducting and eating pets
Former U.S. president Donald Trump’s campaign and his allies are amplifying false rumours that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were abducting and eating pets, another instance of the inflammatory and anti-immigrant rhetoric Trump has promoted throughout his campaigns.
U.S. presidential historian predicts results of November elections. Here's who he says will win
An American presidential historian is predicting a Kamala Harris presidency as the outcome of the upcoming U.S. elections in November.
Taylor Swift endorses Kamala Harris for U.S. president after debate ends
Taylor Swift, one of the music industry's biggest stars, endorsed Kamala Harris for president shortly after the debate ended on Tuesday night.
Some restaurants have increased their default tip options. Canadians think you should give this much
Despite what the default options on the payment terminal might read, most Canadians still want to tip around 15 per cent, according to a new survey.
Dave Grohl says he fathered a child outside of his marriage
The Foo Fighters frontman announced that he recently became a father again, writing in a statement on his Instagram page on Tuesday that his new baby girl was born 'outside' of his marriage to his wife Jordyn Blum.
$2M home belonging to children's musician Raffi on the market
Canada’s children’s troubadour is selling his B.C. home, which is now up for grabs for $1,995,000.