Political Firestorm Erupts Following Suspension of BC Firefighter
The suspension of a Victoria, B.C., firefighter for writing a letter to the premier about the homeless crisis has caused controversy. Provincial politicians believe he should not have been disciplined, while municipal officials argue that those commenting do not have all the facts.
The issue arose when Tim Thielmann, the B.C. Conservative Party candidate for Victoria Beacon-Hill, revealed on social media that firefighter Josh Montgomery had been suspended without pay for his open letter to Premier David Eby in mid-July.
Thielmann criticized the suspension as a “chilling retaliation” against a man who puts his life on the line to save others.
Montgomery’s letter highlighted the challenges faced by Victoria firefighters responding to emergency calls near the city’s 900 block of Pandora Avenue, where a drug consumption site is situated. The letter referenced an incident where a paramedic was attacked and first responders were faced with hostility from around 60 street residents.
While the Victoria Fire Department has not confirmed if Montgomery’s suspension was related to his letter, the union representing him, the Victoria Firefighters Association Local 730, confirmed that the Aug. 16 suspension was indeed linked to the letter.
Premier and Mayor’s Responses
Eby stated at a press conference on Aug. 16 that he was unaware of the reasons behind the suspension.
“If that’s the case, I think he should get his back pay back. I don’t think he should have been suspended. I think he should get an apology, I stand by that,” Eby said.
Mayor Marianne Alto and Premier Eby both denied any involvement in the decision to suspend Montgomery.
Alto expressed disappointment at the premier’s remark on the matter and emphasized that it was a local government personnel issue.
Montgomery’s open letter to Eby criticized the city’s plan to support a homeless outreach center in Victoria’s North Park neighborhood as “outrageous” and “reckless.”
Letter Contents
The letter raised concerns about the lack of community consultations regarding the plan and the potential risks to residents, especially children.
The city of Victoria entered into a service agreement with SOLID Outreach Society to fund the new center, which aims to provide services to reduce homelessness impacts.
