In a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, White Rock Mayor Wayne Baldwin wrote that he 乌鸦传媒渃annot imagine乌鸦传媒� that the prime minister 乌鸦传媒渨ould approve and be in support of such disrespectful behaviour towards a local government, its elected civic leaders, and City staff.乌鸦传媒�
The 1,100-word, four-page letter 乌鸦传媒� complete with a graphic showing a map of Trudeau乌鸦传媒檚 Nov. 15 walking route through the 乌鸦传媒� was sent to three staffers at the prime minister乌鸦传媒檚 office, the president of the Liberal Party of Canada, White Rock council and city staffers CAO Dan Bottrill and communications manager Farnaz Farrokhi.
As of Peace Arch News press time Thursday, the letter was not officially released by any of the offices. However, PAN obtained a copy independently.
The prime minister乌鸦传媒檚 office confirmed Nov. 30 that the letter had been received, but said it would through them.
乌鸦传媒淎s you know, the prime minister乌鸦传媒檚 brief visit to White Rock was in his capacity as leader of the Liberal Party, and so I would refer you to Braeden Caley (Liberal Party of Canada director of communications) for further questions,乌鸦传媒� PMO press secretary Eleanore Catenaro told PAN Nov. 30.
Caley told PAN the next day that the Liberal party does not provide copies of correspondence received without the sender乌鸦传媒檚 permission, and 乌鸦传媒渋t would be best for you to reach out to Mayor Wayne Baldwin if you are following up on statements he has made.乌鸦传媒�
Contacted last week, Baldwin told PAN he would release the letter, and that he asked City of White Rock communications manager Farnaz Farrokhi to email it.
Farrokhi told PAN she would send a copy of the letter the following Monday morning.
Monday, the City of White Rock said they would 乌鸦传媒渆xpedite乌鸦传媒� a freedom-of-information (FOI) request. As of press time, it was not formally received.
After posting an article online Wednesday about attempts to have the letter released, PAN received a leaked copy.
The letter gives reasoning of why Baldwin thought the prime minister乌鸦传媒檚 visit did not follow 乌鸦传媒�
It says Liberal South Surrey-White Rock candidate Gordie Hogg 乌鸦传媒� whom it describes as 乌鸦传媒渁 seasoned politician乌鸦传媒� 乌鸦传媒� a 乌鸦传媒渟elect group乌鸦传媒� of individuals to welcome the prime minister 乌鸦传媒渞ight in front of our City Hall.乌鸦传媒� It made note that some of the invited individuals 乌鸦传媒渄o not live in White Rock.乌鸦传媒�
The letter says that while Baldwin understands a rally may not be an official visit, 乌鸦传媒渨hen a City Hall is the marshalling point and its front lobby is used for a refuge, the situation changes.乌鸦传媒�
The graphic provides details of what took place at city hall before the prime minister toured Five Corners, in the lead-up to the Dec. 11 federal byelection.
乌鸦传媒淟obby used by Prime Minister乌鸦传媒檚 security detail, other staff related to the visit, and the Federal Liberal candidate for South Surrey-White Rock, including his guests, media, and members of his campaign team. They used City Hall乌鸦传媒檚 location as Marshalling point to assess Prime Minister乌鸦传媒檚 tour route and as their refuge for over 30 minutes. Mayor, White Rock City Council, and City staff not notified of details of the visit乌鸦传媒ξ谘淮綕 the map notes.
Baldwin wrote that it would have been a 乌鸦传媒渨onderful opportunity and honour for Council and City staff乌鸦传媒� to have been made aware, adding that he would have excused himself from a three-day Union of BC Municipalities meeting to welcome Trudeau.
Baldwin thanked Trudeau for visiting the city, and 乌鸦传媒淚 hope you can accept my sincere apology for writing you under such circumstances, but I felt it was important that you knew the reasons as to why the elected civic leaders of White Rock, especially me as the Mayor of White Rock, were not there to formally welcome you to our spectacular City by the Sea.乌鸦传媒�
Baldwin noted that if White Rock council had been notified of the visit, city staff would have set aside space in city hall to accommodate the prime minister乌鸦传媒檚 staff, minimized potential customer service interruptions and addressed any pedestrian and vehicle-safety concerns.
Baldwin expressed his gratitude to Trudeau and minister of infrastructure and communities Amarjeet Sohi for the the city received through the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund to address 乌鸦传媒� and manganese in our water.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淥ur water does meet Health Canada乌鸦传媒檚 Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality; however, the arsenic levels in some of the wells peaked above the Maximum Allowable Concentration levels at times.乌鸦传媒�
Baldwin said it would 乌鸦传媒渂e a privilege乌鸦传媒� to meet the prime minister to discuss White Rock乌鸦传媒檚 needs, give the prime minister a tour of the community and show him the progress the city has made on its water treatment processes and how the research technologies can benefit other communities, 乌鸦传媒渋ncluding First Nation communities.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淚 humbly ask that your team at the PMO coordinates this meeting through my office.乌鸦传媒�
Below is a copy of Baldwin乌鸦传媒檚 letter.
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