While the Residents and Ratepayers of Central Saanich Society is appealing the ruling in its challenge to the Vantreight subdivision bylaw, another residents association has filed suit against the ratepayers.
“It’s about libel and defamation carried out in connection with the Senanus watermain,” said Gordon Denford. “One can only be patient so long. There is so much misinformation and inaccurate information out there that is causing a lot of damage and causing delays — it has to stop somewhere.”
The Central Saanich West Voters Association filed a civil claim in the Supreme Court of BC against the ratepayers, the Mount Newton Neighbourhood Association, Robert Bocking, Lori Waters, Chris Paynter and Gordon O’Connor. The suit also includes claims against two people identified as John Doe and Jane Roe.
Along with the Central Saanich West Voters Association, Central Saanich resident, Denford, is also listed as a plaintiff in the case.
The CSWVA claim alleges that the defendants, “made, caused, procured, incited, authorized, concurred in or approved of public attacks calculated to prevent the plaintiffs from achieving their goal of obtaining a reliable piped supply of water from the District of Central Saanich.” It goes on to allege that the “attacks have included defamatory expression, injurious falsehoods and/or negligent misstatements of and concerning the plaintiffs.”
“MNNA is unable to comment at this time,” said Waters. The defendants have 21 days to respond to the notice of civil claim.