Coquitlam Coun. Dennis Marsden has resigned his position with KFN Enterprises, saying he did not want to be a distraction for the work being carried out by the organization.
Marsden joined the economic development body for the 82-member Kwikwetlem First Nation in May but the role could have potentially landed him in conflict as a city councillor and vice-chair of the city’s Riverview Lands Advisory Committee.
The band currently has an Aboriginal title claim before the B.C. Supreme Court for a parcel of traditional territory that includes Riverview Hospital, the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, Colony Farm and Gates Park in Port Coquitlam.
According to its website, KFN Enterprises is a holding company that handles land development, commercial and light industrial property management and venture capital financing on behalf of the Kwikwetlem.
Marsden said that group was set up to separate the business side of the First Nation with the political side. KFN Enterprises is owned by the band and is overseen by Kwikwetlem First Nation Chief Ron Giesbrecht and civil project consultant David Leitch.
Marsden told The Tri-City News on Wednesday that he left the position with KFN Enterprises approximately two weeks ago despite being told by his legal counsel that he could fulfill both roles.
“There were no legal issues. Clearly, there were political gamesmanship issues. I felt that that didn’t need to be a distraction so I stepped away.”
But the day before, he said nothing about having left KFN during a Coquitlam committee of the whole meeting when Coun. Chris Wilson put forward an agenda item seeking clarification on Marsden’s role with the body.
Wilson also said council was not able to provide feedback on the appointment because councillors were unaware that Marsden had taken the director role with the group.
Several of Wilson’s council colleagues echoed his remarks.
“I was taken aback,” Coun. Mae Reid said after reading about the appointment in The Tri-City News last month, later adding: “We weren’t consulted.”
Coun. Bonita Zarrillo went one step further, asking staff and the city’s legal counsel to look into the matter. “I would just like to see if we could all just have it reviewed by in house council and have the whole air cleared,” she said.
She was interrupted by Mayor Richard Stewart, who stated that seeking legal advice on any manner is an issue that needs to be discussed in closed-door council meetings.
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