Burnaby politics heat up

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Submitted by Anonymous on October 28, 2008 - 10:50am.

The level of rhetoric is rising in Burnaby, after a first-time city council candidate announced he was splitting from Team Burnaby to run as an independent.

Dr. Stanley Jung, who lists his occupation as a chiropractor and forensics expert, did not return repeated phone calls from 24 hours, but was reported as saying his decision was based on unease with a Team Burnaby policy to lower the rate of tax increases.

Mayor Derek Corrigan, who heads the long-serving Burnaby Citizens Association majority on council, claimed Jung’s defection was the result of the “destructive” presence of his long-time rival Coun. Lee Rankin.

But Rankin said the defection had more to do with Jung being unwilling to pay a $7,000 candidate fee, which every Team Burnaby candidate agreed to pay prior to the campaign.

When asked about the mayor’s personal criticism, Rankin retorted, “I don’t want to get into a squirting match.”

Coun. Garth Evans, who also left Team Burnaby earlier this year to sit as an independent member of council, said the rhetoric is a good indicator of what’s wrong with Burnaby politics.

- Dan Hilborn, for 24 hours