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“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

This BC mayor promised to use $55M in real estate for charity. Now he’s ignored an order to open the books (Investigative Journalism Foundation)


Before he made the jump to politics, BC real estate developer Eric Woodward announced a plan to transfer $55 million worth of property to a new charity. All profits from developing or renting that land, he said, would go toward local causes.

The 2018 municipal election was in sight for the Township of Langley in BC’s Fraser Valley, and Woodward told a local newspaper the move could help him avoid conflict-of-interest allegations if he decided to run. Two months later, Woodward was elected to council. By 2022, he was mayor. 

Seven years have passed since that pledge. The Eric Woodward Foundation (EWF) was established as a non-profit in 2019, announced some donations in its first few years and then took over management of the annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival in 2020 ...

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