Bob Williams “obliged” to keep mum on Vancity election practices

Vancity is holding a board election until April 27.

The man described as the “living legend at Vancity” could only manage a laugh.

The Straight was asking Bob Williams about his view of how elections are being conducted at $14.5-billion Vancouver City Savings Credit Union.

Williams has been the chair and vice-chair of Vancity, and he’s known to speak his mind.

Last week, the Straight quoted Wilson Parasiuk, a former Manitoba NDP cabinet minister and now a long-time Vancouver resident, criticizing as “undemocratic” the Vancity board’s recent practice of recommending candidates for the board of directors.

Vancity members have until April 27 to vote for three directors.

“I’m obliged not to give you an opinion,” Williams, a member of the board, said with a laugh during a recent phone interview.

“And that tells you more than you want to know in the circumstances,” he added.

He explained why he cannot share his opinion about the board’s practice of suggesting to members who they should vote for.

“If I discussed what I said to the board about these matters, I would be charged with breach of trust,” he said.

Again laughing, Williams said: “These are the rules and so any comments I have had regarding this system and the current recommendations would have been made to the board and, under the rules, I’m obliged to not divulge that discussion.”

Told that Vancity board discussions must be rigorous, Williams could only say: “Oh, boy. Oh, boy.”