Last week, your humble organ reported on the appointment of Darren Chung to Vancouver's development permit board's advisory panel. Mr. Chung is filling one of four general public seats on that nine member panel. But he also happens to be a development assistant with Adera Development Corp. - "one of B.C.'s most trusted home builders." When asked about suggestions that Mr. Chung's appointments adds an extra developer to the panel - which already has two seats reserved for the industry - Councillor Peter Ladner said "We honestly didn't think about it. Because you have to have some understanding of the industry and issues to be effective on this panel. We were as much concerned about finding people who were effective as we were about what interests they brought to bear."

He then added Mr. Chung "has other qualifications that we were looking at. We have to have a youth representative on there. And he qualifies as a youth representative. And I think he's been on the board in the past if I'm not mistaken. And the other members of the advisory board spoke highly of him."

Councillor Ladner, a member of the subcommittee that reviews such appointments, also defended Non-Partisan Association council candidate Colleen Nystedt's naming to a general public seat on the panel by referencing her urban planning background. The other members the subcommittee are George Chow and B.C. Lee.