Victoria, Saanich to work on amalgation question for next municipal election
The motion at Victoria city council Thursday morning, which included receiving the report from a citizens' assembly that recommended amalgamation after eight months of deliberation, passed unanimously after more than two hours of discussion.
Earlier this week, councillors with the District of Saanich also discussed the report at length, with several of them expressing their support.
Peter MacLeod, chair of the assembly on behalf of Toronto-based consultancy MASS SBP, said the members of the group were happy with the results.
"I think the members are delighted," MacLeod told CBC News shortly after the meeting.
"[They] were very pleased and gratified that both councils took their recommendations seriously."
Saanich and Victoria are the two most populous municipalities on southern Vancouver Island, with populations of 117,735 and 91,867, respectively, according to 2021 census numbers from Statistics Canada.
While they share some regional services, they are governed separately, with separate mayors and councils, separate police forces, and more.
Years in the making
If citizens vote in favour of amalgamation during the next local elections, MacLeod says it would still take at least four years for the process to be complete.
The question of amalgamation in Greater Victoria has been years in the making.
In 2014, seven of the 13 Capital Regional District municipalities said they wanted a study looking into amalgamation.
In a non-binding referendum in 2018, residents approved each municipality spending up to $250,000 to study whether they would benefit from joining forces.
The process was delayed by the pandemic but finally began last year.
The Victoria-Saanich Citizens' Assembly, made up of 48 randomly selected residents from the two municipalities, released its recommendations in April.
Criticism
The discussion in Victoria Thursday morning did include criticism of the report and questions for assembly members.
Coun. Jeremy Caradonna wondered why a financial analysis and risk assessment were not included as part of the process, or estimates of possible staff layoffs.
At the meeting, MacLeod says the assembly recognized a "high degree of compatibility" between the two jurisdictions, including their populations and needs.
Amalgamation discussions in other jurisdictions that MacLeod said he had taken part in often included a larger municipality absorbing a much smaller one, or several municipalities coming together — neither of which would be the case here.
"That's much more complicated. That often includes the transfer of much more complicated risks," he told Caradonna.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
4 hours ago
- Business Insider
Behind the biometric curtain: When border tech outpaces accountability
In an era where artificial intelligence and biometric surveillance are becoming the new frontiers of national security, a quiet struggle is unfolding—one not just of innovation, but of ethics, transparency, and trust. At the center of this unfolding narrative are companies like Travizory, a Swiss-based border tech startup, whose recent moves have sparked scrutiny from both industry peers and government watchdogs. Across the globe, from South America to the Indian Ocean, the implications of fast-tracked technology contracts are coming under the microscope. This is not just a story about software and security, it's a cautionary tale for every government, especially in Africa, navigating the allure of digital border solutions without adequate oversight. The Stakes in Kenya This question has come to the forefront in Kenya, where controversy surrounds the management of the country's eCitizen platform—a critical national digital portal that connects citizens and tourists to government services ranging from visa issuance to tax payments. At the center of the debate is Travizory that secured a contract to help digitize and manage parts of Kenya's travel authorization and border management ecosystem. The Travizory contract has created multiple risks: revenue leakage through foreign exchange spreads, personal data subject to Swiss rather than Kenyan privacy laws during the pilot period; and an opaque exit clause allowing Travizory to claim intellectual property indemnity fees if Kenya builds its own system. The issue, however, is not simply about foreign involvement, it is about the legal jurisdiction under which this data is being handled. Travizory's contract in Kenya has been in contention not only because it collected and allegedly withheld the gross revenues owed to the government of Kenya, but it has personal data subject to Swiss rather than Kenyan privacy laws during the pilot period. This revelation has sparked serious concern among digital rights advocates, policymakers, and civil society organizations, who argue that such arrangements undermine Kenya's data sovereignty— the principle that the data of a country's citizens should be governed by that country's laws, not those of a foreign state. Echoes in the Seychelles This isn't the first time Travizory has been linked to questions of transparency and conflict of interest. In Seychelles, an archipelago praised for topping Africa's Corruption Perception Index, the company is the central player in a growing controversy involving the nation's Minister of Transport, Antony Derjacques. The minister, whose law chamber reportedly advised Travizory, failed to disclose this connection while overseeing the company's 10-year government contract with Travizory for managing the country's digital travel authorization platform—a tool that became central during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seychelles opposition leader Sebastien Pillay has called for Derjacques' resignation, alleging a clear conflict of interest. The National Assembly is now grappling with how to circulate the confidential contract without breaching its non-disclosure clauses, raising even more concerns about transparency in public-private partnerships. Why It Matters for Africa For African nations investing heavily in digital identity, e-visas, and border modernization, the Travizory case offers valuable lessons. Technology may be global, but accountability must be local. Governments entering agreements with fast-scaling tech vendors—particularly in high-trust areas like biometric surveillance, passenger data, and border security—must implement stronger vetting processes, conflict of interest safeguards, and ongoing performance audits. This is especially important as African states look to digitize border control, often under tight deadlines and with support from international donors or multilateral partners. The risk? Falling for shiny demos without digging into a company's history, real-world deployments, or local partnerships. The Bigger Picture In a market where companies compete not just with technology but also perception, moments like these become inflection points. Travizory's allegations of corruption in Seychelles, Kenya and others that we have yet to uncover, should not be dismissed as isolated events—they're reflective of a deeper industry tension between growth, and governance. And for African governments watching from the sidelines, now is the time to ask the right questions—not just can this be done, but by whom and at what cost?
NBC News
8 hours ago
- NBC News
Afghanistan's Taliban have 'weaponized' the judicial system to oppress women, UN expert says
UNITED NATIONS — Afghanistan's Taliban rulers have 'weaponized' the legal and judicial system to oppress women and girls in what amounts to 'crimes against humanity,' the independent U.N. investigator on human rights in the country said. Richard Bennett said in a report to the U.N. General Assembly circulated Wednesday that after seizing power in 2021 the Taliban suspended the 2004 constitution and laws protecting the rights of women and girls. These include a landmark law that criminalized 22 forms of violence against women, including rape and child and forced marriage. The Taliban dismissed all judges under the previous U.S.-backed government, including approximately 270 women, replacing them with men who share their extreme Islamic views, lack legal training and hand down decisions based on edicts issued by the Taliban, he said. In addition, he noted that the Taliban have assumed full control over law enforcement and investigative agencies, systematically purging Afghans who worked for the previous government. Bennett, who was appointed by the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council, focused on access to justice and protection for women and girls in his report. He said he held meetings, focus-group discussions and one-on-one interviews with more that 110 Afghans inside and outside the country. He did so remotely because the Taliban have refused to grant him a visa to travel to Afghanistan. Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, their crackdown on women and girls has been widely reported and globally denounced. Taliban leaders have barred education for women and girls beyond sixth grade, banned most employment, and prohibited women from many public spaces, including parks, gyms and hairdressers. New laws ban women's voices and bare faces outside the home. The Taliban remain isolated from the West because of their restrictions on women and girls and have only been recognized by Russia. Bennett said the Taliban did not respond to an advance copy of the report and a request for information about their efforts to ensure access to justice and protection for women and girls. The Taliban defend their approach to justice by claiming they are implementing Islamic sharia law, but Islamic scholars and others have said their interpretation is unparalleled in other Muslim-majority countries and does not adhere to Islamic teachings. They say protecting the legal rights of women is a priority. Bennett said, however, that women have virtually no rights. 'Today, there are no women judges or prosecutors and no officially registered female lawyers, leaving women and girls with fewer safe channels to report abuse or seek redress,' he wrote. 'Coupled with a lack of female officials in the police and other institutions, the result is widespread underreporting of violence and discrimination against women and girls.' Bennett said access to justice for girls 'is further undermined by the dismantling of key legal safeguards and institutions protecting the rights of children,' including juvenile courts and juvenile rehabilitation centers. The Taliban requirement that a woman must be accompanied by a male relative also creates barriers to filing complaints and attending court proceedings, he said, and disproportionately affects widows, women who are the heads of their households, the displaced and disabled. 'Women who engage with the Taliban court system — whether as victims seeking redress, to resolve family issues, to obtain official documents or as alleged offenders — face a hostile environment,' Bennett said. 'Courts often reject complaints made by women and are especially reluctant to accept cases relating to divorce, child custody and gender-based violence.' Facing these obstacles, Bennett said, women increasingly turn to traditional and informal justice mechanisms, including formal jirgas and shuras — community councils of elders — and informal mediation by religious leaders, community elders or family. But these are all male-dominated and raise 'serious concerns about the rights of women and girls,' he said. He said international forums offer the best hope for justice. He pointed to the International Criminal Court's request on Jan. 23 for arrest warrants for two senior Taliban leaders accused of crimes against humanity for persecution 'on gender grounds.' And he urged all countries to support efforts to bring Afghanistan before the International Court of Justice, the U.N.'s highest tribunal, for violating the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
The Hill
11 hours ago
- The Hill
Afghanistan's Taliban have ‘weaponized' the judicial system to oppress women, UN expert says
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Afghanistan's Taliban rulers have 'weaponized' the legal and judicial system to oppress women and girls in what amounts to 'crimes against humanity,' the independent U.N. investigator on human rights in the country said. Richard Bennett said in a report to the U.N. General Assembly circulated Wednesday that after seizing power in 2021 the Taliban suspended the 2004 constitution and laws protecting the rights of women and girls. These include a landmark law that criminalized 22 forms of violence against women, including rape and child and forced marriage. The Taliban dismissed all judges under the previous U.S.-backed government, including approximately 270 women, replacing them with men who share their extreme Islamic views, lack legal training and hand down decisions based on edicts issued by the Taliban, he said. In addition, he noted that the Taliban have assumed full control over law enforcement and investigative agencies, systematically purging Afghans who worked for the previous government. Bennett, who was appointed by the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council, focused on access to justice and protection for women and girls in his report. He said he held meetings, focus-group discussions and one-on-one interviews with more that 110 Afghans inside and outside the country. He did so remotely because the Taliban have refused to grant him a visa to travel to Afghanistan. Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, their crackdown on women and girls has been widely reported and globally denounced. Taliban leaders have barred education for women and girls beyond sixth grade, banned most employment, and prohibited women from many public spaces, including parks, gyms and hairdressers. New laws ban women's voices and bare faces outside the home. The Taliban remain isolated from the West because of their restrictions on women and girls and have only been recognized by Russia. Bennett said the Taliban did not respond to an advance copy of the report and a request for information about their efforts to ensure access to justice and protection for women and girls. The Taliban defend their approach to justice by claiming they are implementing Islamic sharia law, but Islamic scholars and others have said their interpretation is unparalleled in other Muslim-majority countries and does not adhere to Islamic teachings. They say protecting the legal rights of women is a priority. Bennett said, however, that women have virtually no rights. 'Today, there are no women judges or prosecutors and no officially registered female lawyers, leaving women and girls with fewer safe channels to report abuse or seek redress,' he wrote. 'Coupled with a lack of female officials in the police and other institutions, the result is widespread underreporting of violence and discrimination against women and girls.' Bennett said access to justice for girls 'is further undermined by the dismantling of key legal safeguards and institutions protecting the rights of children,' including juvenile courts and juvenile rehabilitation centers. The Taliban requirement that a woman must be accompanied by a male relative also creates barriers to filing complaints and attending court proceedings, he said, and disproportionately affects widows, women who are the heads of their households, the displaced and disabled. 'Women who engage with the Taliban court system — whether as victims seeking redress, to resolve family issues, to obtain official documents or as alleged offenders — face a hostile environment,' Bennett said. 'Courts often reject complaints made by women and are especially reluctant to accept cases relating to divorce, child custody and gender-based violence.' Facing these obstacles, Bennett said, women increasingly turn to traditional and informal justice mechanisms, including formal jirgas and shuras — community councils of elders — and informal mediation by religious leaders, community elders or family. But these are all male-dominated and raise 'serious concerns about the rights of women and girls,' he said. He said international forums offer the best hope for justice. He pointed to the International Criminal Court's request on Jan. 23 for arrest warrants for two senior Taliban leaders accused of crimes against humanity for persecution 'on gender grounds.' And he urged all countries to support efforts to bring Afghanistan before the International Court of Justice, the U.N.'s highest tribunal, for violating the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
