A Memorandum of Understanding between the Capital Regional District (through its Juan de Fuca Electoral Area planning department) and the District of Sooke met with resistance from CRD directors at the board meeting on June 15.
The MOU was proposed as it would provide a framework and timelines for reaching agreements on issues raised in the agreement between the District of Sooke and the CRD, to set out policies, procedures and processes for the way in which the district and the Juan de Fuca electoral area will interact from time to time.
The idea was for the two parties to work in a spirit of cooperation.
The MOU was challenged by the mayor of North Saanich, Alice Finall, John Ranns, mayor of Metchosin and Highland’s mayor Jane Mendum.
“It’s a good neighbourly system,”said JDF area director Mike Hicks. “It is so we can have discussion, Sooke council wholeheartedly supports it.”
Hicks was scratching his head as to why directors from “halfway across the South Island” would have any issues with such an agreement.
He said those directors who had a issues with the MOU showed the “extend of the illness of the CRD.”
“I can totally empathize with the First nations, the Juan de Fuca is in the same boat wanting self-government. There’s nothing more I can do,” said Hicks.
The board voted to approve the MOU with opposing votes coming from the mayors of the Highlands and North Saanich.
