When Brent Atkinson got home from work Wednesday night, he was surprised to receive a blistering voice mail from Voice New Westminster school board candidate MaryAnn Mortensen.
Atkinson said that in the voice mail, Mortensen accused him of assaulting her personal character and that she didn't need fellow Voice member Casey Cook to stand up for her. In addition, Mortensen said she thought it was inappropriate for Atkinson to endorse any candidates because he's a current sitting school trustee.
"I think it's unbecoming of a current trustee and the current CEO of the district's business company to be endorsing any candidates," said Mortensen. "And for him to do a character assassination of someone for advocating for their community, that I find objectionable."
Mortensen is referring to a part of Atkinson's letter that states that because of the efforts of Mortensen and her Save Grimston Park committee, the district will only get three new schools, instead of four.
"I find it really cheeky that a member of the community thinks I'm that powerful, that I would have that much power to get only three and not four schools. ... I'm not responsible for that, the trustees voting on it are responsible for that."
Atkinson sees things very differently.
"I was merely stating facts," said Atkinson. "It's not new info that MaryAnn led the Save Grimston Park issue. ... That's a fact pattern."
And Atkinson said he sees no problem with his endorsements of five candidates: incumbents Michael Ewen and James Janzen and newcomers Jonina Campbell, Dave Phelan and Glen Richmond.
"Do we live in a democracy?" he asked rhetorically. "I often take many calls from people asking me who they should vote for and I always ask them if they want to know politically or practically.
"If they want the political answer, I'll indicate which people on the right side of the spectrum I would consider voting for. ... If they want the practical answer, I tell them who I've been able to work with collaboratively on past boards."
Atkinson said he sent out the letter to his former supporters simply because he'll be out of town on business company business in Asia for the next two weeks.
Mortensen confirmed with The Record on Thursday morning that she had left the voice mail and also revealed what else she had said.
"I left him a message and I told him I thought it was cowardly for him to send out his letter," said Mortensen. "I feel he doesn't know what I stand for and for him to call me out in his letter is inappropriate."
Mortensen went even further, saying she believes Atkinson is "a silent partner for district labour."
"He's largely supported district labour (since 2008) when I started following school board," said Mortensen. "I believe he's absolutely left of the spectrum and you can see he's endorsed (candidates) left of the spectrum."
Atkinson took exception to Mortensen's claims, saying he was only stating facts in the letter that he personally addressed to people who had supported him in the past.
"It was never my intention that the letter become public," said Atkinson. "That's why the letters are each personally addressed and personally mailed. ... It's not my fault that somebody decided to make the letter public."
The letter became public on Wednesday afternoon when Cook emailed a copy of the letter to The Record and added his comments on what he thought about the letter.
Atkinson said he finds it laughable that Mortensen thinks he's a "silent partner for district labour."
"I'm a member of the Conservative Party federally and I used to be a member of the Social Credit party (provincially). ... I'm not a member of any party provincially right now, but let's just say I vote on the right side of the spectrum."
Atkinson also said he found Mortensen's voice mail "extremely aggressive", he doesn't expect to pursue the matter any further.
"The voice mail was disturbing, but after sleeping on it (Wednesday night), I'm hoping this won't escalate any further," said Atkinson.
Mortensen also appears to be letting the issue go.
"I left my message. If he wants to talk to me, he can call me. I have no interest in calling him again."
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Cutline: School trustee candidate MaryAnn Mortensen
