Renewal of My Complaint to Surrey City Council

Renewal of My Complaint to Surrey City Council

Do I Sound Pissed Off?

 

November 10, 2012 I e-mailed Surrey City Council some questions regarding the growth of Marijuana and the severity of the by-laws regarding its legal growth under strict supervision. It was named

An Open Letter of Complaint to Surrey’s Mayor and Council

The point of an Open Letter as set by Emile Zola with “J’Accuse” is to provoke a response from your opponent. After badgering them for only 20 weeks I finally got one Feb. 25. I was not disappointed with what I received because I have been expecting an evasion of all the questions asked. What I received was not a report with any detail or suggestions: It was a  178 word e-mail that boiled my questions down to 3 that were anwered:

1.    It’s City Policy – 3 lines – 32 words

2.    No. – 3 lines – 36 words

3.    Little use but advised location of some files.- 104 words

It is not a Reply from Council: it is a Reply from the City Solicitor.

I think I am quite correct that on receipt of my Open Letter, the clerk noted the Marijuana and automatically referred it to the Legal System where it sat. I doubt the Mayor and Councilors ever saw a copy but I think this will correct t.

I don’t get ignored and dismissed by some pompous shyster with an over-inflated self-image.

This has now turned into what will be the Publication on the Blog of me and Council having a good argument

Renewal of My Complaint to Surrey City Council

TheSmeeGoanGuy Blaine Barrett thesmeegoanguy@gmail.com	4:17 PM (1 minute ago)
to Clerks, bcc: me

Ref: Legal Services File # 3900-20-17410

In Mid- October I e-mailed Surrey City Council some questions and on the basis of advice given by phone sent them to you at

clerks@surrey.ca

Attn: Mayor and Council

I was advised that on receipt with that Attn; Mayor and Council you would ensure that a copy was made for and sent to each individual councilor.  In early November, two weeks after submission I called and was informed my complaint had been received and a referral to Legal Services was warranted and they would advise when it had been considered.

After one month of patience and one more month of frustration and no reply to requests for information, I finally contacted the City Solicitor, Mr. MacFarlane just before Christmas and was advised he would look into it but due to his schedule requested I call back after the New Year and we could get down to details. He was reasonable, polite and seemed to understand my frustration when I vented. No problem.

We reconnected in Mid-January and talked things out. In anticipation of misunderstanding I requested a reply in writing and he agreed to supply one.

This was the beginning of dodging my request for information and refusing to contact me despite manifold requests that he do so. He received those messages via Lisa his secretary who confirmed she had relayed them all. Only after I relayed a message via Lisa that either he could contact me within one week or I was getting on the phone to Mayor Watts and raising shit did I actually get a result.

If Mr. MacFarlane had the courage and courtesy to phone me so we could have discussed his findings I would not have written this complaint.

MacFarlane, Craig	Feb 25 (3 days ago)
to me, Lisa

 Hi Mr. Barrett:

1.                In answer to your first question, regarding access to City property to campaign for the Sensible BC Referendum, it is City policy not to allow political campaigning in City recreation facilities.

The whole point was to ask Council “WHY” it was City Policy. I want to know how a Referendum qualifies as “political campaigning” and I want an argument showing how it does. I think it’s a violation of my Elections Canada qualifications and : and it is an infringement of my own personal right as a private citizen to ask a fellow citizen a question about his knowledge and provide corrective information if he requests it. There is no political identification except the advisory that there is a Referendum in process and there is no political gain.

2.               You have asked whether there will be a revision to the “Medical Marijuana Growth By-law”. In 2013, the Zoning By-law was amended to prohibit the cultivation of marijuana in all zones except the C8-B Zone.

I never asked whether there will be a revision to the “Medical Marijuana Growth By-law”. I was trying to determine if there is any way to negotiate a modification of the bylaw to permit the growth of Medical Marijuana in areas other that Zone C8-B. That is still my intention.

3.       Regarding the source of the “800 addresses as targets for surprise grow-op bylaw inspections”, I have been advised that Health Canada through our federal Freedom of Information request informed the City that 788 Health Canada licensed producers were located in Surrey but that no information was given as to the identity or location of the sites. The City does have information on the location of approximately 300 grow- ops, which information was obtained through Hydro excess consumption records and the subsequent inspections for electrical and fire safety. The City also receives information on the location of grow-ops from complaints made to the City.

This was extremely helpful in advising that No Personal information or Locations of Grow-ops has been provided by Health Canada. He was also helpful in identifying the 300 grow-op files on hand as a source of information related to all the hazards Chief Garis has concocted related to the cultivation of marijuana.

 Best regards,

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I want to continue with a modified complaint but there is little point in doing so until I know that Council has actually received and read my initial complaint. As yet I have not received an acknowledgement of receipt from anyone except Legal Services.

I do not have a file ref for my original complaint but it can be found at

City of Surrey Legal Services File # 3900-20-17410.

I would very much appreciate that a copy of this e-mail be forwarded to all the Council with a request for an acknowledgement from each that they have received and read my initial complaint before I file a continuation. Can this be done?

Best regards

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I Wonder what I’m Going to Get Back

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