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Hamilton Spectator
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Anmore group threatens legal action against village over Anmore South development
The Village of Anmore has been threatened with a legal action over its handling of the contentious Anmore South development, with the Anmore Neighbours Community Association (ANCA) alleging procedural and constitutional violations. In a May 15 letter addressed to Mayor John McEwen and council, ANCA's lawyers accuses the village of bias, democratic suppression, and violations of free expression under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The letter warns that unless the Official Community Plan (OCP) amendment process is halted and corrected, ANCA will petition the B.C. Supreme Court to quash any resulting decision. 'If the village chooses to ignore (these complaints) and forge ahead with the OCP amendment, it can expect a legal proceeding brought by ANCA, and perhaps others, to set the decision aside,' ANCA's lawyers stated. The Anmore South project, proposed by Icona Properties, aims to transform 151-acres on the municipality's southwest border into a mixed-use development with approximately 2,200 units, commercial space, a community centre, parks, and a connection to Metro Vancouver's wastewater system. Anmore's population could nearly triple over the next 25 years if council were to approve an amendment to its official community plan changing the designation of the lands from rural to urban. The Village of Anmore did not respond to a request for comment by press time. Accusations of bias ANCA claimed three of the five Anmore councillors – Mayor John McEwen and Couns. Polly Krier, and Kim Trowbridge – have 'prejudged' their decision on the OCP amendment by publicly endorsing the proposed 'preferred plan' before a public hearing has occurred. Several statements from the councillors are provided. ANCA argued that those statements show their 'minds are made up' regarding the OCP amendment. 'The public hearing itself is pointless – the mayor and these councillors will sit and listen to suggestions, but not whether to vote 'yes' or 'no' on the amendment, which is the vote that will come before them,' the letter stated. Earlier this year, McEwen said it would be a loss if only single-family homes were built in the area. 'I think the key thing that we have to remember is, this land is going to be developed at some point,' McEwen said at a February meeting. 'I've said very publicly, I certainly don't want it to go RS-1 the way some areas of the other village have.' Council has discussed development of the Anmore South site since it was designated as a special study area in 2007. More recently, council discussed three visions for the land, including one pitch for approximately 3,500 units. ANCA cited several Supreme Court of Canada decisions, arguing the legal standard for disqualifying a member of council from participating in a decision is if they are no longer capable of being persuaded. It further claims the councillors have shown to prejudge the amendment decision by rushing the process through despite late completion of a consultant reports, an incomplete neighbourhood plan, and treating the first and second reading of the bylaw as routine 'housekeeping' steps. The letter urged all three representatives to recuse themselves from further deliberations, warning that if they do not, any vote on the OCP amendment will be legally tainted. Because this recusal would leave council without quorum, ANCA suggested the village seek direction from the court to allow the decision to proceed with a modified quorum. ANCA stated it would expect Mayor McEwen's participation to be conditional on a court order requiring him to consider public input 'with as open a mind as possible.' Accusations of Charter breaches The municipality is also being accused of suppressing political dissent regarding Anmore South by unreasonably limiting free expression at council meetings and through local signage restrictions. ANCA highlighted recent changes to the village's procedure bylaw , which bar comments on any topic that may be the subject of a future public hearing. They state this 'broadly drafted' clause is unconstitutional because it stifles political expression on pending issues before they are formally up for debate. The bylaw was invoked during the May 6 council meeting, when residents were barred from raising questions about Anmore South during question period, while the developer and two opposing delegations were permitted to speak about the project during the same meeting. ANCA contended this inconsistent application shows the bylaw is being enforced in a discriminatory manner and suppressing community opposition while giving the developer a platform. Icona CEO Greg Moore defended the consultation process, noting that 28 public engagement events have been held since 2021. The ANCA letter also raised concerns about a zoning bylaw which restricts residential signage to only certain types such as real estate or home business signs. Political signage is not permitted, even on private property. While the bylaw is in place to limit visual pollution, ANCA claimed it is being used as a way to prohibit 'political expression on a matter of fundamental importance to the community.' According to the letter, ANCA has received reports that village staff have removed signs opposing Anmore South, while leaving up other signs that also contravene the bylaw. ANCA argued this suggests 'discretionary unfairness' and points to an active effort by the village to suppress opposition to Anmore South. The letter is calling on council to delay the public hearing and OCP amendment decision by 'at minimum several months' until both the procedure bylaw and zoning bylaw are amended to comply with Charter protections. Only after residents are given a 'reasonable period' for unrestricted political expression, should the amendment return to council for a vote, ANCA stated. The letter follows several months of escalating tension around the Anmore South proposal, with groups like ANCA and the Anmore Residents Association describing the process as 'developer-dominated,' and calling for a referendum to decide the project's fate.
The Age
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
The Nationals were once feared. Now they merely stamp their feet
Interpreted, it simply means the Nationals and the Liberals will retreat to their corners – very small corners after the election, each not much larger than a proverbial telephone booth – and sulk about their positions on nuclear power and supermarkets and a few other things – until it becomes obvious they have to climb back into bed together and yield a bit on their separate pet ideologies, or perish. Whether either Ley or Littleproud will still be leaders by then is far from guaranteed, as these things tend to be when chaos descends after what was less a federal election than a cruel flogging of the non-existent Coalition. How very far and how very pale it all seems from the days when the Country Party, later the Nationals, were led by genuinely tough champions of agrarian socialism. The troika, they were called in the 1960s and 70s: National Country Party leader Doug Anthony and ministerial colleagues Peter Nixon and Ian Sinclair. They could leave senior Liberals – whose party was supposed to be the senior partner in the Coalition – white-faced and shaking when they strode together into meetings determined to get their way on behalf of the farming community. In the early 1970s, for instance, Liberal prime minister Billy McMahon wanted to revalue Australia's currency. Loading The troika – believing the move would harm Australia's rural exports – laid down the law, stalked out of cabinet three times and threatened to leave the Coalition. McMahon and his Liberals went to water and dropped the proposal. Before the troika, of course, was Country Party leader John 'Black Jack' McEwen. After Liberal prime minister Harold Holt went missing in the surf near Portsea, Victoria, McEwen exercised his muscle to black-ban Billy McMahon from becoming prime minister. McMahon, as the Liberals' deputy leader, had the right to expect to become PM. But McMahon was a free trader, which McEwen opposed as a threat to rural Australia. McEwen said he and the Country Party wouldn't serve under a McMahon prime ministership. And the Liberal Party, knowing he was serious, folded and appointed John Gorton instead. McMahon had to wait until McEwen retired. It is unimaginable that the Nationals' troika or Black Jack McEwen would ever, in laying out their threat to crash the Coalition, simper about how 'you get back together and join together with clearer clarity and focus on what the relationship was all about and when you get back together, how it is going to work even better'.
Sydney Morning Herald
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
The Nationals were once feared. Now they merely stamp their feet
Interpreted, it simply means the Nationals and the Liberals will retreat to their corners – very small corners after the election, each not much larger than a proverbial telephone booth – and sulk about their positions on nuclear power and supermarkets and a few other things – until it becomes obvious they have to climb back into bed together and yield a bit on their separate pet ideologies, or perish. Whether either Ley or Littleproud will still be leaders by then is far from guaranteed, as these things tend to be when chaos descends after what was less a federal election than a cruel flogging of the non-existent Coalition. How very far and how very pale it all seems from the days when the Country Party, later the Nationals, were led by genuinely tough champions of agrarian socialism. The troika, they were called in the 1960s and 70s: National Country Party leader Doug Anthony and ministerial colleagues Peter Nixon and Ian Sinclair. They could leave senior Liberals – whose party was supposed to be the senior partner in the Coalition – white-faced and shaking when they strode together into meetings determined to get their way on behalf of the farming community. In the early 1970s, for instance, Liberal prime minister Billy McMahon wanted to revalue Australia's currency. Loading The troika – believing the move would harm Australia's rural exports – laid down the law, stalked out of cabinet three times and threatened to leave the Coalition. McMahon and his Liberals went to water and dropped the proposal. Before the troika, of course, was Country Party leader John 'Black Jack' McEwen. After Liberal prime minister Harold Holt went missing in the surf near Portsea, Victoria, McEwen exercised his muscle to black-ban Billy McMahon from becoming prime minister. McMahon, as the Liberals' deputy leader, had the right to expect to become PM. But McMahon was a free trader, which McEwen opposed as a threat to rural Australia. McEwen said he and the Country Party wouldn't serve under a McMahon prime ministership. And the Liberal Party, knowing he was serious, folded and appointed John Gorton instead. McMahon had to wait until McEwen retired. It is unimaginable that the Nationals' troika or Black Jack McEwen would ever, in laying out their threat to crash the Coalition, simper about how 'you get back together and join together with clearer clarity and focus on what the relationship was all about and when you get back together, how it is going to work even better'.
Sydney Morning Herald
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Teal edges ahead as Libs fear Bradfield is slipping away
Teal candidate Nicolette Boele has edged in front in the battle for Bradfield with a wafer-thin lead of 41 votes over Liberal opponent Gisele Kapterian as the count drags on for the north shore seat. Boele made the gain after being behind by 43 votes when counting resumed on Monday. Kapterian had been in the lead for almost a fortnight thanks to postal votes largely falling in her favour, but her margin tightened significantly late last week. On Monday, final postal votes went largely Boele's way. A full recount for the seat means an official declaration of the result in Bradfield might still not happen until next month. If the final margin is fewer than 100 votes after the full distribution of preferences, which is now under way, a recount will be conducted in line with Australian Electoral Commission policy. The last – and only – time a recount changed the result in an election was for the Victorian seat of McEwen in 2007 when, after the first count, Labor Rob Mitchell won by six votes. Following the recount, Liberal Fran Bailey won by 12. This ended up in the Court of Disputed Returns and the eventual result was a Bailey win by 31 ballots. Mitchell went on to win the seat at the 2010 election and is still the MP for McEwen. Liberal sources watching the count closely were starting to despair on Monday as the vote showed signs of slipping away from them. Boele backers maintained it was too close to call.
Ottawa Citizen
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Roughrider training camp: Prized free agent addition Sean McEwen 'out for a while'
Article content Sean McEwen won't be getting in the Saskatchewan Roughriders line-up any time soon. Article content Article content Riders head coach Corey Mace broke the news — and it wasn't good news — to an assembly of fans during the State of the Nation panel discussion Saturday afternoon at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. Article content While McEwen got injured during one-on-one drills earlier in the week during Roughriders training camp at Griffiths Stadium, there hadn't been an update, as to just how serious the injury was, until fans heard it first-hand that it's serious enough to keep the three-time CFL all-star out of the line-up longer term. Article content Article content McEwen, a 6-foot-1, 295-pound offensive lineman from Calgary, was a prized free-agent acquisition during the off-season. He had played 132 regular-season CFL games with the Toronto Argonauts and Calgary Stampeders before joining the Riders. Article content Article content 'With Sean,' Mace told fans huddled up in the hall, 'unfortunately Sean suffered an injury that's going to keep him out for a while, guys. You guys are going to be the first to get that information here right now. And it sucks. It sucks for him more than anything.' Article content McEwen, a former first-round pick in the 2015 CFL Draft, was pencilled in to be the Riders' new centre on the offensive line. Article content McEwen came in as a three-time all-CFL selection, a three-time West Division all-star and one-time East Division all-star. Article content On Saturday, he appeared on the sidelines during the Green and White Day scrimmage with a brace on his leg. Article content Even if McEwen won't be seeing any game action any time soon, the Riders want to keep him involved. Article content 'You feel for Sean, but he made it very clear that he wants to get his finger sized (for a Grey Cup ring),' noted Mace. 'So he's going to do everything he can to help us still. He'll remain with us in some form, or fashion, and he's a heck of a mind. In talking with him, he said, 'I know I've only been here for this amount of days but there's something different here.' It's good to hear that validation from somebody coming from the outside in. Just an unfortunate situation and unfortunate part of football.' Article content Article content In McEwen's place, Zack Fry has been taking starting reps at centre with fellow Canadian national offensive lineman Logan Ferland at left guard and American import Jacob Brammer at right guard. Article content Article content The Riders will open their preseason next Saturday, May 24 when they visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Article content Training camp continues Monday through Friday at Griffiths Stadium in Nutrien Park on the University of Saskatchewan campus. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
