Andrew Vertical Farming Proposal Addressed During Council Meeting

Andrew Vertical Farming Proposal Addressed During Council Meeting

Michelle Pinon News Advertiser

Village of Andrew Deputy Mayor Tammy Pickett and Mayor Merwin Haight told approximately 30 residents gathered in the multi-purpose room the evening of Feb. 22 what they knew and had subsequently learned about proponents of the proposed vertical farm.

Deputy Mayor Tammy Pickett attended the open house on Feb. 11 at the former Mallard Mart. “My purpose for this was to video the presentation and post for our community members who were unable attend.”

Pickett said that because she posted the videos some people stated she was in favour of it. She unequivocally denied that. “I want everyone to understand first off, I am not in any way, shape or form involved or acting as an advocate for this company.”

She also shared some of the tidbits of information she had learned following the presentation. Pickett said a basic Google search of one of the presenters, Russ Brower Berkhoven, “had been removed from mutual funds rep with MFDA in Alberta due to five different allegations regarding swindling clients from 2006-2009. This also resulted in a $200,000 fine.”

One of the other presenters, Hereditary Chief Howie Jackson, spoke about the Metis peoples’ sovereign land. “So, despite his pep talk of all his achievements and his court suits that he won, there’s little to be found on him on the internet…One of the videos from the Chief’s website Warrior of the People states: ‘Do no wrong or harm or trespass.’ So, in my opinion right there he’s going directly against what he preaches.”

Pickett added that, “The gentleman Christopher James Pritchard, who you will find in the Chief’s interview video on Jan. 31, 2023 titled: Plans for an Intentional Community.” Pickett said Mr. Pritchard’s law license was terminated by the BC Law Society.

Pickett said she had also spoken with a member at Lakeland MP Shannon Stubb’s constituency office and that they have received numerous calls, letters and emails and cc’d RCMP as well as provincial and federal offices. “I have also been in contact with the municipality lawyer who has dealt with the Life Force Canada in the past and I am waiting for some recommendations from this lawyer.”

She went on to say, “So, I also understand this is an issue. I understand this is concerning to many people. I understand the impact that this can have on our daily lives. I want to assure everyone that I am not putting a blind eye to this. I am also a business owner and a resident, and I am also on your team.”

Pickett added, “I’ve had people come and tell me they don’t want to register their children in Andrew School because they are afraid of what’s going to happen with this sovereign land. So, on that note, please do not do that because we need the numbers for the school. Right now everybody knows we are grabbing at the numbers to keep our school going and something of this impact is not going to help it.”

Mayor Merwin Haight also addressed attendees, stating, “This afternoon I spent close to two and a half hours on the phone with Gary Sandberg, who’s the Assistant Deputy Minister of Municipal Affairs concerning what is going on in the Village and with Life Force, or this group. They’re not a cult. They’re not a religion. But they’re an organized group and they are being recognized at the minister’s level.

There’s been a lot of emails sent in from citizens within the village and the county, and they are taking at it very seriously. From a legal stand point for what we have in our bylaws and looking at the MGA there is nothing legally we can do at this point in time.”

Haight said they are not operating a business, so a business license or development permit are not required, and they are not aware of any structural, electrical or plumbing changes that have been made to the building. He indicated that they were on a month to month rent, ($7,500/ month) and that Chief Jackson has no “political clout” on Saddle Lake or anything outside of it. “Fair to think at this point that a lot of this is going to fizzle out once the money does.”

Delegate Janell Yaremie, who was representing a discussion group of Village of Andrew and Lamont County residents, asked other members of council if they were behind Pickett and Haight, and they indicated that they were.