The first all candidates meeting for Sechelt hopefuls drew a crowd of over 300 and it didn't take long for the Target Marine Hatcheries issue to come up.
The Target issue seems to be at the forefront of this year's Sechelt election with one group dubbed For A Better Sechelt (FABS) giving the current Sechelt council a failing grade for not supporting Target's caviar endeavours.
The hatchery applied for rezoning to allow them to process the sturgeon they've grown onsite for years but a split and sometimes-changing vote at the council table put the brakes on their plans.
The current Sechelt council voted four to three to send the Target issue to referendum at the same time as this year's municipal election Nov. 19 "to determine the electorate's wishes" for Target's future.
Mayor Darren Inkster and councillors Ann Kershaw and Alice Lutes wanted to deal with the issue at the council table, but councillors Fred Taylor, Alice Janisch, Warren Allan and Keith Thirkell voted to send the issue to a non-binding referendum.
After the councillor candidates introduced themselves at the Oct. 20 Sechelt all candidates meeting at the Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre, questions were taken from the floor.
The first question was about Target Marine. The audience member wanted to know how incumbent councillors voted in regards to sending Target to a referendum, and how candidates plan to vote at the upcoming referendum.
"I wasn't sure if that would be the first question or not, but I knew it would come up," said moderator Bruce Milne.
Candidate Tom Lamb started the answer period saying the issue would be decided at the referendum, and that if the vote is positive, council has "no choice but to vote it through. And if it's a negative situation, then council's going to have to figure out how to make it go through," he said to laughter and applause.
Norm Blair said he would vote for it.
Incumbent Alice Lutes said she voted against the referendum and that she is in favour of Target Marine.
Darnelda Siegers said she toured the Target facility and found it to be world class, adding she would vote for it.
Mike Shanks said he didn't buy the viewpoint of some that rezoning Target's property would adversely affect property values of nearby neighbours. "It's a red sturgeon, not a red herring. As an appraiser and assessor for over 30 years, I will be voting in favour of Target Marine," he said.
Incumbent Alice Janisch said she is in favour of "not passing spot industrial zoning in residential areas," meaning she is not in favour of rezoning Target to allow caviar production on site.
Anita Paulin gave her support with an unequivocal yes.
Mary Bittroff said she sees Target as one of the few places where people can get jobs "without a really severe effect on the neighbours. I've talked to the neighbours, and I've made my value judgment, and I think that Target Marine is a fine industry for us. I will be voting yes," she said.
Chris Moore turned the question back to the audience asking how they felt about tax dollars being spent on a referendum. "I certainly am totally frustrated and think it's a complete waste of time. I will be voting yes, and it should have been voted yes a long time ago," he said.
Stan Dixon said he is in favour of Target.
Incumbent Warren Allan stood his ground against. "I didn't support it then, and I don't support it now. I'm not convinced that adding a few jobs, introducing fish processing into a residential neighbourhood is in the best interests of Sechelt or for those communities that I'm looking out for their interests. I have yet to be convinced," Allan said.
Doug Hockley said he is voting yes for Target Marine in the referendum. "And if I'm elected to council, I will be making a motion, should the referendum be a no, to go ahead with Target Marine anyway," he said.
Incumbent Keith Thirkell was the last councillor candidate to answer the question. "I could have voted no to the application in its entirety and we wouldn't be having this discussion tonight. It wouldn't have gone through at all," Thirkell said.
"I toured the site. I saw the development permit application, I saw the building. But I also listened to my constituents, and I was concerned that something was being shoved down the neighbourhood's throats I'm not against Target Marine. I think they've done their due diligence and a lot of hard work, but I believe in democracy and that's what this referendum is about, participatory democracy."
After a short break, the mayoralty candidates took to the stage. After introducing themselves, they also had a chance to answer the Target question.
Their first question from the floor had to do with where they stand on the decision to rezone Target - should it be decided at the council table or at referendum?
Douglas Smith was the first mayoralty candidate to field the question. "I think that is one of the issues that we need help with and why we have so many people running for council and four people running for mayor, in that the decision making should have happened at council. We should not have to have gone to a referendum. The decision making rests with council," Smith said.
John Henderson agreed. "The way we will make decisions in my council will be based on finding various ways to make sure we get input from all of you. But when the rubber hits the road, it's up to the council to make the decision," Henderson said. "So in my view, my experience, we don't need a referendum, we need consultation. We need a lot of input from all of you, but ultimately that's what we're elected to do is make the decision."
Current mayor and incumbent Darren Inkster felt the same way. "Zoning very much is a neighbourhood issue and it's specific to an area, so it's very difficult to ask the whole community to answer that referendum question. As well, referendums are generally based on financial matters, so this one now is non-binding because it's not a financial issue. It's up to council to make that decision. I said that then when this occurred, and I will say it again. We are elected by you, we are accountable to you. We are to make those decisions," Inkster said.
Finally Ed Steeves answered the question, giving his support to Target. "Target Marine's been around a long while, and I remember three years ago we passed Target Marine, but I got laid off three years ago by the electorate. So consequently, I support Target Marine now, I don't want to see it left to referendum to decide. I'll make a decision at council and I'll support it again," Steeves said.
