The chair of Metro Vancouver's board is urging members to approve an independent investigation into a serious breach of confidentiality, after private details from a closed-door meeting—including the suspension and firing of top executives—were made public.
Chair Points Finger at Elected Official
In a statement released on Friday, December 20, board chair and Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley suggested the leak may have originated with an elected official. He expressed deep disappointment, stating that someone may have "illegally taken advantage of a confidential closed meeting and used people’s personal lives for political gain."
Hurley emphasized that the actions have caused harm both to the organization and to individuals. "As such, I will be seeking the boards’ support to initiate a third-party investigation into the source of this serious breach of confidentiality," he said.
Turmoil at the Top: Executives Suspended and on Leave
The confidential Dec. 12 meeting reportedly involved notifications that Harji Varn, Metro Vancouver’s chief financial officer, had been suspended by chief administrative officer Jerry Dobrovolny. According to reports, this decision was made without the necessary board approval.
A motion was subsequently presented calling for Dobrovolny’s own suspension and an investigation into Varn's suspension. In a further twist, Ravi Chhina, the deputy chief administrative officer, has recently taken personal leave but is expected to return in the New Year.
The result is a leadership crisis where the regional organization's three most senior executives are now in states of termination, leave, or potential suspension.
Councillors Slam Proposed Investigation as 'Unbelievable'
Hurley's call for an investigation has been met with sharp criticism from some fellow elected officials, who argue the move is misguided and a poor use of public funds.
Richmond city councillor Kash Heed said he was stunned by the announcement. "I’m shocked by not only the cost that the taxpayer would bear from the investigation, but how ridiculous this all is," Heed stated.
He accused the chair of trying to intimidate the whistleblower instead of addressing the substantive issues raised by the leak. "For the chair to go in and try to intimidate a person who made the public aware of what is going on in Metro Vancouver... It’s unbelievable," Heed said.
Heed further questioned the practicality of such an investigation, noting the legal privacy limitations that would likely hinder any fact-finding effort. The debate sets the stage for a contentious board decision regarding the probe into the confidential leak.
