Langley Township officials respond to disqualification petition

The Mayor of Langley Township, Eric Woodward, and Councillors Tim Baillie and Rob Rindt have filed a legal response to a B.C. Supreme Court petition seeking to disqualify them from holding public office.

The petition, filed by 10 local voters, alleges that the politicians violated the B.C. Community Charter. The dispute stems from a defamation lawsuit previously launched by Woodward, Rindt, and Baillie against several local figures following anonymous videos and blog posts that suggested corruption regarding fire truck procurement contracts.

The core of the current legal challenge involves the funding of that defamation suit. Petitioners argue that the Township of Langley improperly paid the personal legal bills of the councillors, which they claim is not permitted under the Community Charter or the Local Government Act. The officials and the Township maintain that no rules were broken and that the petition is inadmissible.