Letters to the editor

I have been a member of the BVRS since it’s inauguration eight years ago, however, I have taken this opportunity to reflect upon the reason of our squad’s resignation and to clarify our unduly and unwanted group decision.

This sad situation is a loss to the residents of Beaconsfield and the surrounding cities we West-Islanders call home. Indeed, the BVRS was comprised of residents from all these great communities and they gratuitously gave their time to a cause they felt there was a need for over the last eight years. When these selfless men and women decided to resign in a chorus, it was clear that the BVRS principles of protecting and helping the citizens were compromised and disrespected. To this end no man, woman or child should have to accept this fate be it for monetary gain or volunteerism.

Unfortunately our purpose for resigning has been tainted by accusations of “accountability and miss-use of public property” and it is only fair that we choose this medium to set the records straight.

“Accountability” has been used to make the public believe that the BVRS was allocated a yearly budget of $57,000 and that its usage had no transparency and no paper trail. Any layperson would know that every government structure, municipal or provincial, functions by a hierarchical and bureaucratic accounting system when it comes to the expenditure of taxpayers’ money. The mayor, however, wants the public to believe that the BVRS had total jurisdiction on how to spend that $57,000. We don’t need to defend our integrity here!

Secondly, we would like to address the mayor’s main accusation regarding BVRS’ use of public property, specifically that of city vehicles for out-of-town and personal purposes.

His damning and blatant accusation has cut us to the core like a knife and tainted our reputation as a public service team, as we have been portrayed as irresponsible adults who, despite providing rescue to their community, cannot make wise decisions. Mr. Mayor you know in truth that the truck in question was used only once without prior notification to the offices of the urban planning department due to a miscommunication between two officers of the city of Beaconsfield.

Let the public be properly informed, the fact is: in September 2007 our services as a volunteer group was requested as a last moment appeal to provide medical coverage at a cancer Awareness Run in Vaudreuil-Dorion, since organizations could not fill this commitment. A $300 donation was made to the BVRS and an email was sent to the city explaining the reasoning behind our action. Inciting the public to see us as an unorganized unstructured group is totally unreal and unjust.

Lastly, we want the public to know that the real reason why we were “left with no choice” but to resign is because we had started an Association in 2004 with the city’s approval to assist with funding the materials and supplies for the training and accomplishment of the rescue squad. The city had never asked for accountability of our expenditures which they knew and know was all for the good of the rescue squad. Suddenly, in 2007 we were being pressured to account for every penny we spent from money we collected, even though these were funds from our charity drives, spaghetti dinner and breakfast pancakes. We don’t believe any other association had to undergo this kind of pressure tactic, nor would they remain calm about it.

In November 2007, the city placed a new safety condition in effect that only certain officers of the city would have the key to unlock the bunker where we would keep our supplies and other materials, trained our personnel and even just for cleaning purposes. In hindsight we’ve realized all these tactics were done to get us to lose interest in the BVRS especially the famous key situation, despite the legal background check of each member. Frankly, we were not being respected.

In all honesty, we feel that the city administration is relieved that we resigned. The squad was never really understood or appreciated by the mayor and its city council because their knowledge of its capabilities was limited by the amount of proper information that was heavily filtered and limited by the city’s administration. Case in point, we were asked by a councillor, after eighteen months into this council’s mandate, “how much do you get paid to do this?”

We are sincerely grateful to the residents and organizations for their continued support during the existence of the (ex) BVRS. Rest assured we are not gone, we are just re-organizing to be in better shape for the communities we served in their time of need. To those who supported us and needed our help, you are not alone.

Edwin R. Van Der Voort

Beaconsfield