Southern Vancouver Island鈥檚 most valuable public asset is in the hands of an exclusive society responsible to no one but itself. The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority has affirmed that it will keep its 2012 bylaw that allows the board of directors sole discretion in accepting nominees from member organizations. That means the public, which owns the capital region鈥檚 port properties, has no effective say in how those facilities are managed. The situation runs contrary to the most basic of democratic principles.
The authority, which owns and manages former federal properties around the harbour, is a not-for-profit society founded in 2002 by the City of Victoria, the Township of Esquimalt, the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations, and the Provincial Capital Commission. It later added the Victoria/Esquimalt Harbour Society, Tourism Victoria, the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce and the Capital Regional District as members.
Under the founding memorandum of understanding, member organizations would appoint directors, with three directors-at-large to be appointed by the board. That arrangement serves the broad public interest 鈥� the authority operates at arm鈥檚 length from its member municipalities and interest groups, but is accountable to the public through its members.
But in 2012, the board changed its bylaws to give itself the final say on who sits on the board. When Victoria city council appointed Coun. Shellie Gudgeon to replace Coun. Pam Madoff in 2013, the GVHA rejected Gudgeon鈥檚 appointment. Board chairman Bill Wellburn told the city the selection committee was looking for someone with more expertise related to tourism and the operation of the harbour. After objections from the city and a public outcry, the GVHA relented and accepted Gudgeon鈥檚 appointment.
Last year, Victoria asked the GVHA to change its bylaw so that nominees from members are not subject to vetting by the authority. After mulling the request for nine months, the authority rejected the change at a special general meeting last Friday.
When the GVHA was formed, restrictions were placed on how long members could serve. Those restrictions have been gradually loosened. With changes made in 2011, members can serve up to nine years on the board, with the opportunity to serve longer with approval of two-thirds of the board members.
This raises the potential for board solidarity to take precedence over concerns from member organizations. It encourages the entrenchment of positions and attitudes. Just as tides and currents keep the waters of the harbour from becoming stagnant and polluted, so would periodic changes in membership bring fresh ideas and energy to the authority.
While board members should work together, dissent is healthy. If a decision is a good one, the scrutiny brought about by an opposing viewpoint would only strengthen the decision.
Bodies such as sa国际传媒 Hydro and sa国际传媒 Ferries, though ostensibly run at arm鈥檚 length, are ultimately accountable to the provincial legislature. People can express their dissatisfaction to their elected representatives, and if they don鈥檛 like the results, they can say so at the next election. By making its own rules, the harbour authority has insulated itself from the public. It has no reason to fear an election.
The GVHA does a good job of managing Victoria鈥檚 jewel. The harbour area is vastly improved over what it was a generation ago. We are not saying democratic governing should be restored because of any particular problem, but to prevent problems.
It鈥檚 flat-out wrong that the public has no say in how the publicly owned harbour is developed. Victoria and the CRD should not give up the fight to bring accountability back to the GVHA.
