B.C. ag minister asks conflict commissioner for guidance over land reserve role

VICTORIA – British Columbia Premier Christy Clark says her agriculture minister is seeking guidance from the province’s conflict of interest commissioner on the thorny issue of his lobbying of the Agricultural Land Commission.

Clark says Pat Pimm has written to Conflict Commissioner Paul Fraser and asked him to provide advice to all B.C. MLAs about situations where their duties collide with the independent commission that protects farmland.

Last August, the land commission blasted as “inappropriate” Pimm’s efforts on behalf of a local constituent in Fort St. John to have land removed from the agricultural land reserve to build rodeo grounds and a campsite.

Pimm wrote to the commission to express his concern about their decision to reject the application, and also had his ministerial assistant contact the commission about the file.

The commission said Pimm’s efforts could give the public and the commission itself the impression that he “was attempting to politically influence the commission.”

Clark did not respond to questions about whether Pimm should step down from cabinet while the issue is reviewed.