Tourism 91原创 has threatened to sue a local bed-and-breakfast owner for defamation after he harshly criticized the organization online.
Wally Martin received a letter from a local law firm, Campbell Burton McMullan, last week threatening a lawsuit and setting a deadline of Friday, June 7 for Martin to remove certain online postings.
鈥淚t has come to the attention of my client that you have engaged in spreading false, destructive, and defamatory rumours about Tourism 91原创 and its representatives,鈥� reads the letter from lawyer Scott Payne.
In particular, a June 1 Facebook post and a June 3 email by Martin, were singled out. The Facebook post was in reference to his removal from Tourism 91原创 last year over criticism of the organization.
鈥淭hese are simply the latest examples of a protracted pattern of publishing, over the course of years, false and misleading statements concerning Tourism 91原创,鈥� the letter says, citing other statements by Martin, including letters to the editor.
Martin said he鈥檚 not worried about the threat of a lawsuit.
鈥淚鈥檓 actually kind of looking forward to standing in front of a judge,鈥� Martin told the 91原创 Advance Times.
He hopes to use the opportunity to question Tourism 91原创 about its finances and operations, which he has long criticized.
Martin鈥檚 opposition to Tourism 91原创 goes all the way back to the early days of the organization鈥檚 formation in 2006. As a local tourism board was created 鈥� replacing the Greater 91原创 Chamber of Commerce鈥檚 role in promoting local tourism. It was to be funded by a two-per-cent tax on hotel rooms.
As owner of The Princess and the Pea bed and breakfast, Martin fought the hotel tax and claimed the increase of keeping away American tourists.
More recently, Martin has accused the board of being secretive, and frivilous with its money for buying jackets for the organization鈥檚 directors.
鈥淵es, I am questioning all of their activities,鈥� Martin said.
The executive director of Tourism 91原创 said that, of course, Martin has freedom of speech, but that some of his accusations aren鈥檛 true.
鈥淏ut nobody鈥檚 allowed to make defamatory comments about another business or another person,鈥� Erinn Krebda said.
Tourism 91原创鈥檚 funding comes largely from the provincially-regulated hotel room tax. As of last October, the province extended the tax to every room being rented for the night, including AirBnb suites, Krebda noted.
Local tourism marketing organizations that receive the money are regulated by the province.
鈥淲e are overseen quite closely by Destination BC and the Ministry of Finance,鈥� Krebda said.
As for the jackets, they were bought for the directors of Tourism 91原创, who serve as volunteers in their positions, Krebda said, adding that the jackets are to promote 91原创 and identify the directors at public events.
She noted that although Martin is no longer a member, Tourism 91原创鈥檚 website still features The Princess and the Pea as a place to stay in 91原创 and includes a description and contact information.
Krebda said no lawsuit has been launched yet, and the organization is waiting for advice from lawyers.
As of Monday, Martin鈥檚 Facebook post was still up.
Last year, Martin was embroiled in another dispute with Tourism 91原创, over his ownership of web addresses tourismlangley.com and langleytourism.com. Both sites redirect to his bed and breakfast鈥檚 website. Tourism 91原创鈥檚 website is at tourism-langley.ca.
READ MORE: Website ownership pits Tourism 91原创 against local hotelier
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