A local MLA is calling on British Columbia's premier to "come clean" after a controversial Downtown Eastside consultancy contract was cut short by the provincial government. 

Conservative Surrey乌鸦传媒揥hite Rock MLA Trevor Halford asked NDP Premier David Eby to "come clean" in a Tuesday release, when the Conservative Party of BC said it learned Michael Bryant乌鸦传媒檚 DTES contract was abruptly cancelled.

The contract, worth up to $325,000, was awarded to Bryant 乌鸦传媒� a former Ontario cabinet minister 乌鸦传媒� without competition, without public disclosure, and without clearly defined deliverables, Halford said.

乌鸦传媒淭his wasn乌鸦传媒檛 accountability, it was damage control,乌鸦传媒� Halford said in the release. 乌鸦传媒淭he premier didn乌鸦传媒檛 end this contract because it was wrong. He ended it because it became public.乌鸦传媒�

It triggered public backlash, media scrutiny, and unanswered questions in the Legislature during Question Period. The premier乌鸦传媒檚 office now claims the 乌鸦传媒渄ebate乌鸦传媒� over the contract had become a distraction, the Conservative release continued.

乌鸦传媒淭he only distraction was the public learning what the premier tried to hide,乌鸦传媒� said Halford. 乌鸦传媒淭his was a political favour handed to a friend of the premier, quietly, behind closed doors, with no oversight.乌鸦传媒�

Halford is demanding the immediate release of the total amount already paid under Bryant乌鸦传媒檚 contract, as well as any severance, penalties, or cancellation fees triggered; all communications and approval documents tied to the contract, and a status update on any work submitted to date.

乌鸦传媒淚t is understood the premier was consulted during Bryant乌鸦传媒檚 appointment to Legal Aid BC, which he left abruptly in 2024 for reasons still not disclosed to the public,乌鸦传媒� said Halford. 乌鸦传媒淭hen the premier directed a new ministry to hire him again, this time, with no public transparency or accountability.乌鸦传媒�

As well as vague public terms of reference for Bryant's contract, local DTES advocates also questioned what an outsider to the area could disclose about the notorious neighbourhood compared to those who know it well. The provincial government did not publicly announce Bryant's appointment, which began in February, and only confirmed it in response to recent media reports.

乌鸦传媒淭he contract may be gone, but the questions aren乌鸦传媒檛,乌鸦传媒� said Halford. 乌鸦传媒淏ritish Columbians are paying the price for this government乌鸦传媒檚 backroom politics. This isn乌鸦传媒檛 just about one contract, it乌鸦传媒檚 about trust. And right now, this Premier has none.乌鸦传媒�