The government of British Columbia has reduced its contract with a special consultant on Vancouver Downtown Eastside In short in the middle of the counterou on the appointment.
As Global News reported last week, The province hired the former Minister of the Ontario Cabinet Michael Bryant on a six -month contract to examine the current programs in the district in difficulty and adviser on future policy.
Bryant began the work in February, but the appointment was not announced publicly and attracted the upheaval, including BC opposition curators.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister’s office published a declaration indicating that the “work of Bryant within the framework of the government contract with his consulting company“” Sunday and that “the debate and the discussion around this limited contract are distracting of the important work in progress”.
Addressing media on Tuesday, Eby thanked Bryant for his work.
“I am very grateful to Mr. Bryant for his work, for his efforts from the government,” he said.
“However, I must say that the public debate and the discussion on the contract with Mr. Bryant became the objective, Mr. Bryant became the objective, without any fault on his part, and not of the Downtown Eastside, and how we improve life for the people of the East city center, in particular, he went to British distress.”
The terms of the six -month Bryant contract included $ 150,000 in remuneration, as well as $ 25,000 in expenses. He also included the language which could see the salary doubled at $ 300,000 if his contract was extended.
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Under the agreement, he had to provide monthly updates and reports to the social minister for social development and the reduction of poverty Sheila Malcolmson, as well as a final report.
Eby said Bryant would not receive dismissal, but that he would be paid for work until his last day – around $ 75,000.
He also denied that the appointment of Bryant was hidden.
“You are wrong, it was certainly not hidden, Mr. Bryant was quite open during his meetings in downtown Eastside – there was certainly a problem in our communications store which does not obtain this communication bulletin,” said Eby.
“It was not his job to be the government spokesperson for downtown Eastside. His work was to be a de facto researcher for the government, to take his history, from his history in recovery, from his history in politics and to say what the world of the possible is, what are the opportunities for us to make a significant difference. ”
Eby argued that Bryant had met many residents and stakeholders of the DTES, and that, although he did not finish a final report, he had made “important recommendations that we will consider developing in the future”.
Last week, Eby confirmed that he had put the name Bryant forward for the council of the Downtown Eastside.
The opposition has raised concerns about the terms of the contract, as well as questions about the reasons why Bryant has left his last job as CEO of Legal Aid BC.
“It is understood that the Prime Minister was consulted during the appointment of Bryant to Aid Legal BC, which he left suddenly in 2024 for reasons which are still not disclosed to the public. Then, the Prime Minister led a new ministry to hire him again, this time, without public communication.
“The contract may have disappeared, but the questions are not.”
Eby would not comment on the release of Bryant from Crown Corporation, but greeted the work that Bryant had reorganized legal aid after his arrival at the NPD.
“It is his desire to resist established interests in this work that made me think that he would be a good person to critically look at what was going on in the city center of Eastside,” he said.
In 2009, Bryant was charged with criminal negligence, causing death and dangerous conduct, causing death after an incident that left the Toronto bike, Darcy Sheppard, with a head trauma, but was never prosecuted after the controversial withdrawal of the accusations.
He then wrote a book on experience and his own battle against alcoholism.
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