North Saanich Mayor Peter Jones has been accused of providing confidential information to the media related to the departure of the district’s chief administrative officer.
In a late item added to the Monday (June 5) regular council meeting agenda, Coun. Jack McClintock said he and his fellow council members were informed on June 1 by acting CAO Stephanie Munro that Jones had allegedly provided sensitive personal information, with McClintock believing this was without authorization, to the Times Colonist newspaper which was discussed during an in-camera council meeting on May 18 and again at a similar meeting on May 23.
On May 29, the district published a news release announcing Tim Tanton had resigned from the CAO post, effective June 1. On June 3, the Times Colonist published a story which purported to provide additional information related to his departure.
During discussion of McClintock’s late item on Monday, Jones said that in no way did he breach any confidentiality requirements when speaking to the Times Colonist, and that the paper already had the information and he was simply responding to it.
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“I was the media spokesperson for Victoria Police (Department) for a number of years, and the media will often approach a person in a position of authority with a story. It’s not up to us to either corroborate or deny a story, especially when that information is sensitive,” said McClintock. “I don’t believe it was incumbent on the mayor to give an immediate response.”
McClintock said he would have thought the protocol for such a situation would have been to call an in-camera meeting, and rise and report to release the information.
“Protocol was followed,” responded Jones. “I spent two days following protocol before I responded to the call by the Times Colonist. So every protocol was followed, and what I said was within the bounds of what anyone is able to do with regard to in-camera information. The information the Times Colonist had was accurate, it had been disclosed in advance, and was already known to the public. And I stand by that decision.”
In his late item, McClintock suggested the minutes of the two in-camera meetings be released to the public, to which staff responded they would respond to any Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act requests made, but “that agreement” falls under labour relations restrictions and no details of it will be released.
Both Couns. Irene McConkey and Celia Stock expressed concerns about in-camera information leaking out to the media, and said they hope this will be the last time that happens.
No motion or action was made or taken by council at the meeting related to McClintock’s late item.
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