Greg Norton
Greg Norton, the South Okanagan fruit grower recently named as an agricultural land commissioner, rejects accusations he is in a conflict of interest or that his appointment was political.
The accusations appeared in an opinion column by Gary Mason in the Globe and Mail that was published on October 14. Mason took issue with the fact that Norton, a vocal opponent of a national park in the South Okanagan-Similkameen, will be making land decisions affecting that area.
Local national park supporters say they have the same concerns.
B.C. Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick appointed Norton on October 8 as a commissioner to the Okanagan Coast Panel Region of the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC).
The commission aims to preserve agricultural land as active farmland.
“If this isn’t a conflict of interest, I don’t know what is,” wrote Mason. “I can just imagine the howls from some ranchers in the area had a park advocate been named to the same panel.”
Norton has been a spokesperson for the Grassland Park Review Coalition, an informal group of about 20 people opposing the national park. He was also the vice president of Liberal MLA Linda Larson’s riding association, but on Tuesday announced he has now resigned that position.
Norton, however, said he was appointed because of his background in agriculture and that Mason never contacted him before writing the column.
“I really don’t have a lot to say about a person’s opinion who hasn’t even bothered ever to talk to me,” said Norton. “I think my background in the regional district and my involvement in agriculture in all these years stands for itself. I’m disappointed the guy didn’t even take time to get a hold of me. I’m not hard to find.”
Norton also said his appointment was based on merit and there was no political interference.
“I was very proud and excited to have this thing,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any inside stuff. I applied like everybody else to be a commissioner.”
Norton said he has been an agricultural environment chair for the B.C. Agriculture Council and has put a lot of time and energy into his work.
“I have quite a bit of experience,” he said. “I think that’s the reason I got to be a commissioner. I honestly think it is.”
Norton said his position as a spokesperson for the Grassland Coalition “has no bearing whatsoever” on his new role.
“It’s politics and it is sort of sickening, but at the same time it’s reality,” said Norton. “I don’t hold any stock, to be honest, with that guy’s (Mason’s) opinion.”
Mason, however, says he has nothing against Norton personally.
“I just have an issue with the government appointing him to the Agricultural Land Commission given that there are parts of the proposed park in the ALR,” Mason said in an email to the Osoyoos Times. “Presumably, the Okanagan commissioners would have some input into whether that land should be removed from the ALR in order to accommodate a park – a park that he has been adamantly against. Has he agreed to recuse himself should this matter come up for discussion?”
Others are also concerned about Norton’s appointment, particularly those supporting a national park.
Doreen Olson, director of the South Okanagan Similkameen National Park Network, also said her group has serious concerns about Norton’s ability to be unbiased in land decisions affecting the proposed park and the ALR lands in the park concept area.
The network is writing to ALC Chair Richard Bullock to flag its concerns that Norton’s anti-park advocacy contravenes appointment guidelines for governing boards and public sector organizations.
Those guidelines state that appointees must avoid any conflict of interest that “might impair or impugn the independence, integrity or impartiality of their agency, board or commission. There must be no apprehension of bias, based on what a reasonable person might perceive.”
Olson said she’s not sure it would be sufficient for Norton simply to step down as a spokesperson for the Grassland Coalition.
“From my standpoint, because he has such strong feelings about the national park, he would have to recuse himself from all discussion or information about the park,” she said.
Olson added that Norton is otherwise qualified for his job as agricultural land commissioner.
“I know that he has worked very, very hard as a grower in this community and he is very strongly supportive of the ALR,” Olson said. “Without the position he has on the national park, I think he would have been a really great appointment.”
There are others who share the same concerns about Norton’s recent appointment.
“I would assume if he’s willing to be on the Agricultural Land Commission that he’s no longer going to be working with the Grassland Coalition and being their voice,” said NDP Environment Critic Spencer Chandra Herbert, who was in Osoyoos and Oliver last week to discuss the proposed national park with supporters. “I would think he would have to be a more neutral person on the commission to consider potential removals and potential additions to the ALR (Agricultural Land Reserve).”
Chandra Herbert said it would be difficult for Norton to wear the neutral hat of a commissioner and weigh in on land decisions affecting the concept area of the proposed park.
Norton describes the Grassland Coalition as an amalgam of landowners, homeowners, recreationalists and agricultural people representing a broad spectrum of the community.
The informal group doesn’t sell memberships or hold regular meetings, but he estimates its number at about 20 people.
They meet when they have something to discuss, he said.
It was formed, he said, with a mandate to identify the true impact of a national park.
The group is not registered as a non-profit organization and historically if the group has needed funds for anything, its members have donated.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
