Pigeon ban: Coun. Muri wants ‘baseless, frivolous’ petition dismissed

Councillor Lisa Muri wants the court to dismiss an alleged conflict-of-interest petition that calls for her removal from office for her role in the banning of pigeons in the District of North Vancouver.

“The Petition is baseless, frivolous and an abuse of the process of the court,” asserts a response filed by her counsel in the BC Supreme Court.

“The only affidavit presented relies on third-hand or media reports, contains inadmissible hearsay, and does not support any allegation against Councillor Muri at all, and in particular pursuant to ss. 100 or 101 of the Community Charter.”

Muri’s response states that the petitioners have “completely failed” to establish that any councillor had any financial interest in the matter.

“The Pigeon Bylaw is about pigeons – it has no pecuniary or monetary implications for anyone, and specifically not Councilor Muri,” the response states.

The response states that Councillor Muri wasn’t aware, and could not have been aware, of any pecuniary interest that Councillor Forbes had other than “an interest in common with electors of the municipality generally”.

If the petition is allowed to proceed, it would seriously undermine the democratic process, and interfere with the proper functioning of the council, the response asserts.

“Councilor Muri was exercising her duty as an elected Councilor in good faith. She was not acting on behalf of any individual, including Councilor Forbes,” her response states.

The petition is also politically motivated, the response notes.

“The serious and scurrilous allegations made against Councilor Muri, without reasonable facts, are made for collateral reasons or an irrelevant political purpose and call for an order for special costs in favor of Councilor Muri.”

Councillor Forbes has yet to file a response in the court.

Click on this link to read Muri’s legal response