West Vancouver councilor Peter Lambur is apologizing for the trip he took to the Unites States during the holidays.
Below is the open letter Lambur has written to the residents of West Vancouver, acknowledging his ‘lapse of judgement’ in taking the trip.
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In response to the controversy surrounding my recent travels to the United States, I want to take this opportunity to explain my actions and extend apologies to those I have offended.
At issue is compliance with the provincial recommendations regarding non-essential travel.
This has been and continues to be strongly discouraged and as an elected official there is an expectation that I would observe public health orders and lead by example.
From the outset of the pandemic, I have stayed close to home seldom venturing beyond the North Shore since March of last year.
In early December, I cancelled a previously planned trip to Whistler on the advice that all British Columbians should recreate locally within the region where they reside. However, later that month I had planned to travel to California for a long-anticipated visit to meet my 6-month-old granddaughter for the first time.
I monitored conditions at my destination in the weeks leading up to my departure and took care to plan my trip to minimize risk of COVID-19 exposure. I complied with Provincial protocols and precautions and Govt. of Canada rules and travel advisories. At the end of it all, I had to plan for a mandatory 14 day quarantine period (now in my 9th day).
While I planned my travels with safety as my uppermost concern, I neglected to consider how, in my role as a local government elected official, my actions might be viewed by you, West Van residents, particularly given a worsening environment fraught with frustration as pandemic metrics continue to stubbornly resist improvement.
In retrospect, I see this as a lapse of judgement and apologize to those who are upset and angered by my decision to travel when many of you put your own plans on hold. I am sincerely sorry.
Moving forward, please understand that I remain committed to doing my part to support our Mayor and Council and District staff in their efforts to ensure a safe and secure environment for everyone in West Vancouver.
And when circumstances permit, I look forward to being able to meet in person again. In closing, I don’t think it is inappropriate to recall Dr. Bonnie Henry and her essential advice: Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe.
Yes, he should resign, just like anyone else that thinks they are so privileged to be exempt from HPO orders. Resigning is the only true form of an apology.
So this article is simply a vehicle to show his lame excuses for poor behavior