November 18, 1990

Classifieds 986- 6222

Office, Ed:torial 985-2131

VICTORIA — B.C.’s ombudsman has blasted as ‘tinac-
curate and unbalanced,” a finance ministry report into the
dispute between the North Shore Lifeboat Society (NSLS)
and the B.C. Lifeboat Society (BCLS).

Owen says the
report maligns

And Stephen
confidential draft
BCLS president Horst Kiein of
Pender Islind, und should never
have been released.

In a letter to Klein, a copy of
which fas been obtained by the
North Shore News, Owen says the
confidential draft) report ‘‘con-
tributed to the destruction of wh
was once an active and effective
charitable rescue service.”

The ombudsman said the dratt
contained “unnecessarily insulting
references” to Kiein and his wife.
and the professionalism of such a
report ‘was undermined by the
strongly emotive and intemperate
language contained within

The draft report, written by

By John Pifer
Contributing Writer

acting manager of
the department of investigations
of fingncial institutions, was wide-
ly circulated in early 1989.

It said Klein apparently formed
tie H.C) Lifeboat Society Stas a
way to satisfy his ego and to get
some out-of-pockel expenses
paid.”

Chirk’s report jabelled Klein.
now 62, ay “a very caustic per-
sonality, who eventually manages
to alienate almost everyone he ut
tempts to work with, and. in my
oninion, is one of those people

W.OA. Clark,

V=tt CLASSIFIED

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SUNDAY

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56 pages

NEWS photo Terry Peters

CANDLES, SIGNS and plenty of youthful energy enlivened the
north end of the Lions Gate Bridge Friday morning as protesters
urged commuters to reject golf course devefopment at Cypress

Ombudsman blasts report

Lifeboat society president maligned

who convinces himself that events
occur to suit his interests (despite)
evidence to the contrary

But the final official report
found “no evidence of criminal
activity or any matter drat might
be construed to oppose the public
interest."’ as was stated by Fi-
nance Minister Mel Couvelier in a
letter to Klein in October 1988.

The whole issue crupted in early
1988, when Klein's B.C. Lifebout
Society and the North Shore Life-
boat Society became embroiled in
a dispute over ownership of a
$30,000, 20-feot Boston Whaler
purchased by the North Shore
group through fundraising and a
lottery grant from goverament.

Bailiffs seized the rescue craft
and took it to Pender Island; but
it was returned to the North Shore
by a civil court, whieh apparently
granted control to NSLS on the
basis of the now-diseredited draft

WEST Vancouver-Howe Sound
MLA John Reynolds...received
leaked report.

report fram Clark.

Ombudsman Owen
Jeakiog of the draft meant Klein
“was forced to accept oan oun.
satisfactory settlement of the
fawsuit’’ between the two
socienies.
“By

said the

persons unknown, the

EES TAS Sa IE

MAS FEATURE: 48

BSD ER RR eta ss eae a ae eI

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report was provided to John
Reynolds, (West Vancouver-Howe
Sound) MLA, and other persons
outside the ministry. (10 should
never have been released.”’

“There can be litte doubt thar
the release contributed significant-
ly to the severe reduction in the
public fundraising ability, and
hence the viability, of the B.C.
Lifeboat Society.”

Owen said the report was not
balanced, because in the dispute
between the two groups, “there is
virtually no discussion of — the
possible unlawful or questionable
activities of one faction, the North
Shore Society.""

Klein had first approached
Owen in May of 1989, seeking an
investigation into any role
Reynolds might have played in the
leak of the draft report.

But the ombudsman told the
Pender Island lifeboat operator
that his office had no jurisdiction
to investigate the conduct of an
MIA acting within his capacity as
an oclected member,

PRS ra wees meng nes

ORE INS RS SES