Councilors’ requests for info denied by EDA

Posted on February 18, 2014 by 40 Mile Commentator

By Jamie Rieger

Representatives from the Economic Development Alliance of Southeast Alberta have been making their rounds at council meetings around the region lately, including to Bow Island and the County of Forty Mile.

It was the information they did not provide that garnered the most attention at the Bow Island meeting last Monday evening.

Councilors Nan MacLean and Marjorie Moncrieff asked to be shown a list of those testimonials, which the EDA representatives denied, stating that information is being kept confidential.

“We don’t disclose that information because of confidentiality,” said Blackwell.

Under the Competition Act, the names of those providing testimonials do not have to be made public, but when councilor Moncrieff suggested the discussion go in-camera, the EDA representatives still refused to provide town council with the requested information.

“As Bow Island is a stakeholder in your organization, I want to see more detail on the businesses you are working with,” said Moncrieff.

Organizations collecting testimonials from clients and customers typically do so to promote or advertise their product or business.

Kondra refused to provide the information, even in an in-camera session.