North Vancouver pigeon feud ramps up with conflict-of-interest petition filed by residents

An ongoing feud regarding a pigeon ban in the District of North Vancouver has ramped up again. 

On Friday, 11 district residents filed a petition in B.C. Supreme Court calling for councillors Betty Forbes and Lisa Muri to be removed from office because of conflict-of-interest allegations regarding a new bylaw banning people from owning pigeons. 

Muri brought forward the motion to pass the bylaw last month. It was later revealed that Forbes was the only person in the district to complain about pigeons, and her neighbour is the only person to own any.

Krista Page, who lives across the street from Forbes, was one of the 11 people to sign the petition. 

"I just felt her behaviour was not that of what I expect as an elected official," Page said of Forbes. "If this is happening over pigeons, what else is going on?" 

The petition asks to disqualify Forbes and Muri from holding office on District of North Vancouver council.

It says the community charter disqualifies elected officials for contravening conflict-of-interest rules, and if they continue to hold office 10 or more electors can apply for an order for them to be removed. 

Coun. Forbes did recuse herself from voting on the motion to ban pigeons, but the petition alleges that she did not fully disclose her conflict of interest and that she influenced other councillors to vote in her interest. 

Pigeon owner Kulwant Dulay also filed a petition asking the new bylaw to be struck down. And North Vancouver District Mayor Mike Little has ordered an independent review of the actions of all members of council. 

The petition says the respondents have 21 days to file a response.

Responding to a request for comment from CBC News, Muri said it would be inappropriate to do so because the review is underway.

Forbes has yet to respond to any requests for comment from CBC News.