The U.S. Tides Foundation flows money to its Canadian subsidiary, Tides Canada. CRA records show that Tides Canada gave 10 grants, totalling $903,845. They even tell us what Tides U.S.A. expected Ecojustice to use the money for: The money was used to attack the Canadian oil sands and the thousands of jobs that go with the oil sands.
In an email to the Westerly News, a Ministry of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship spokesperson suggested the Liberal’s allegation is “inaccurate” and that Osborne has reached out to the Commissioner “to ensure that she has all the information necessary to resolve this matter quickly.”
“Minister Osborne did not participate in the decision to engage Watershed BC and MakeWay to administer funding for the Healthy Watersheds Initiative, as the decision was taken when the program fell under the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, prior to the creation of the Ministry of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship,” the spokesperson wrote.
“Furthermore, after becoming Minister for Land, Water and Resource Stewardship, Minister Osborne set up a screen with the Deputy Minister for Land, Water and Resource Stewardship to recuse herself from any decision-making involving MakeWay. This is in line with public service processes for preventing and managing any potential or perceived conflicts of interest.”
So there ya go. It's all legit. It all happened before she was there. Somebody else did it. She wasn't even in the room. The $2.3 million was just a "coincidence". .....and then the dog ate her homework. You can believe it all.
Interesting. Asking price falls about 35% in a year when everything else goes up by 30 to 50%. Sure.... Government grant picks up the tab through the back door sounds fishy to me
Tofino Botanical Gardens, what, 10 or twelve acres? waterfront property? 20 room tourist accom at $250 a night in full season? . cafe.? several houses and staff accom?. fees to view the gardens?. All for 2.4 million...... sounds like bullshit to me. There are many single family homes in Tofino assessed at more without water front or business revenue. Patterson collects contract and consulting fees from Way Gone or whatever it's called according to Times Colonist.
Maybe she was cleared by Ministry Staff? Maybe Depends on what she tole them.
What I don't trust or like is an "organization" that has little recognition or track record in Tofino, sets up shop here and immediately gets $15 million. Sounds like an organization designed to milk the taxpayer. Say the right things and you get $15 million. There are many ways that money could have been spent.
It appears to me that since day 1 the concept of the gardens was to bilk the taxpayers and the district out of taxes, rezoning monies, permit fees, DCCs, and whatever else the operator could avoid. as well as operate a commercial hostel/lodge/hotel without changing the public use zoning to commercial. negotiations with the "organization" began long before the announcement of the sale so its not like the minister was in the complete dark about it. the bonus of the sale was the lodge was permitted to continue operating for 3 years for the benefit of the seller. still no commercial zoning but now its owned by an alleged organization that's all about buzzwords and saving stuff so they are not going to be required to rezone. big savings there.......
Nice to see the proceeds going to support the fossil fuel industry. Green my ass !
ReplyDeleteThe U.S. Tides Foundation flows money to its Canadian subsidiary, Tides Canada. CRA records show that Tides Canada gave 10 grants, totalling $903,845. They even tell us what Tides U.S.A. expected Ecojustice to use the money for: The money was used to attack the Canadian oil sands and the thousands of jobs that go with the oil sands.
ReplyDeleteAnd not to forget the Ecolodge vacation rental biz
ReplyDeleteif it looks like a duck, acts like a duck, and shits like a duck....Maybe it is a duck
ReplyDeleteIn an email to the Westerly News, a Ministry of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship spokesperson suggested the Liberal’s allegation is “inaccurate” and that Osborne has reached out to the Commissioner “to ensure that she has all the information necessary to resolve this matter quickly.”
ReplyDelete“Minister Osborne did not participate in the decision to engage Watershed BC and MakeWay to administer funding for the Healthy Watersheds Initiative, as the decision was taken when the program fell under the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, prior to the creation of the Ministry of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship,” the spokesperson wrote.
“Furthermore, after becoming Minister for Land, Water and Resource Stewardship, Minister Osborne set up a screen with the Deputy Minister for Land, Water and Resource Stewardship to recuse herself from any decision-making involving MakeWay. This is in line with public service processes for preventing and managing any potential or perceived conflicts of interest.”
So there ya go. It's all legit. It all happened before she was there. Somebody else did it. She wasn't even in the room. The $2.3 million was just a "coincidence".
.....and then the dog ate her homework. You can believe it all.
4:03 PM You have to believe. She's been cleared by her own ministry staff, the people who work for her. Just up to the conflict commissioner now.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. Asking price falls about 35% in a year when everything else goes up by 30 to 50%. Sure.... Government grant picks up the tab through the back door
ReplyDeletesounds fishy to me
Tofino Botanical Gardens, what, 10 or twelve acres? waterfront property? 20 room tourist accom at $250 a night in full season? . cafe.? several houses and staff accom?. fees to view the gardens?. All for 2.4 million...... sounds like bullshit to me. There are many single family homes in Tofino assessed at more without water front or business revenue. Patterson collects contract and consulting fees from Way Gone or whatever it's called according to Times Colonist.
%
Maybe she was cleared by Ministry Staff?
ReplyDeleteMaybe Depends on what she tole them.
What I don't trust or like is an "organization" that has little recognition or track record in Tofino, sets up shop here and immediately gets $15 million. Sounds like an organization designed to milk the taxpayer. Say the right things and you get $15 million. There are many ways that money could have been spent.
It appears to me that since day 1 the concept of the gardens was to bilk the taxpayers and the district out of taxes, rezoning monies, permit fees, DCCs, and whatever else the operator could avoid.
ReplyDeleteas well as operate a commercial hostel/lodge/hotel without changing the public use zoning to commercial.
negotiations with the "organization" began long before the announcement of the sale so its not like the minister was in the complete dark about it.
the bonus of the sale was the lodge was permitted to continue operating for 3 years for the benefit of the seller.
still no commercial zoning but now its owned by an alleged organization that's all about buzzwords and saving stuff so they are not going to be required to rezone. big savings there.......