Land Deal Investigation Leads to Vernon

Starlee Speers-Vernon 105.7 SUN FM

CTV News is reporting the investigation into land deals involving BC's former Solicitor General has led the RCMP to Vernon. The network says former Mayor Sean Harvey told officers that John Les was a silent partner in a plan to remove the protections around ALR land and that he met with the Solicitor General in 2004. Vernon councillor Barry Beardsell tells us he was part of the group trying to negotiate the purchase of the 25 hundred acres of Commonage land for public use. Beardsell says while lawyers were drawing up the contract the land was sold to a private bidder who then sold half the property to the Chilliwack Cattle Sales Company. Harvey told CTV his meeting with Les also included officials from the Chilliwack Cattle Sales Company. Les confirmed there was a meeting with Harvey but it had nothing to do with Lobbying for anything and that Harvey's insinuations are completely false allegations.