Vancouver Park Board chair accused of using position to get backstage at PNE

The PNE is accusing the chair of the Vancouver Park Board of improperly using his position to get backstage access to a Summer Night Concert performance.

CityNews learned of the incident, which took place on Sept. 2, 2023, at the Stars of Drag performance at the PNE Amphitheatre. The PNE confirmed the incident in a statement, saying Commissioner Brennan Bastyovanszky approached security staff at the stage access gate, identified himself as an elected Park Board member, and requested to be let backstage to meet the artists in his role as a commissioner.

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“As per PNE protocols, which are based on industry requirements and best practices, backstage access is never granted to anyone, including elected officials or VIPs, without accreditation through artist management,” said PNE media relations officer Laura Ballance. “As such, the security staff advised Commissioner Bastyovanszky that as he did not have appropriate accreditation, backstage access was not possible.”

“The Commissioner did not stand down on the request, so security staff followed PNE protocols and escalated the issue to a PNE Manager,” she continued. “Commissioner Bastyovanszky was insistent on his desire to go backstage. At this point, the PNE Manager escalated the situation to a PNE Director.”

“Upon arrival, it was clear to the Director that the Commissioner was adamant about going backstage, and so the Director, who had accreditation authority, reluctantly allowed the Commissioner backstage to avoid further incident. Once he was provided escorted access, the Commissioner then waved in a number of his friends.”

Ballance says there were no issues with Bastyovanszky backstage, adding that he and his friends subsequently left the PNE.

“It is important to note that the PNE does not experience elected officials approaching working staff at the PNE using their elected status as a mechanism to access restricted areas. This incident was upsetting to the PNE team members involved,” she added.

The PNE opened a complaint with the City of Vancouver’s Integrity Commissioner about the incident. CityNews contacted the Integrity Commissioner, who says a formal investigation was never opened and declined to say whether an informal investigation was ever launched.

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“When a complaint is received, we assess whether the allegations, if found to be true, it may be a breach of the Code of Conduct,” Integrity Commissioner Lisa Southern said.

“In some cases, additional information is required for us to be able to make the assessment, and we have the ability to ask for further information and/or conduct interviews. An example of this may be a request for the names of individuals involved, or documents such as witness statements. These are standard requests where a complaint is made based on second- or third-hand information.”

Southern adds to ensure that the office’s processes are fair, it needs to obtain sufficient information to open an investigation.

“Complainants are advised of the three options under the Code of Conduct that they can pursue to address a concern: 1) confidential advice; 2) informal resolution; 3) investigation. We offer to answer any further questions a complainant may have about the processes, and to meet with them if preferred,” she said.

“In the event that a complainant chooses a confidential advice, or informal resolution, or the complaint is dismissed on a preliminary assessment, no formal investigation is conducted.”

Bastyovanszky declined an interview on the incident, but in a written statement told CityNews that the allegations against him are meritless.

He says he asked the organizers if he could thank the performers as a civic leader at a time when drag shows and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community were facing protests across Canada and the United States.

“I felt it was important to recognize their efforts in being public role models. The organizer was happy to have me and the other VIPs backstage. I thanked the performers for their community work and that I enjoyed the family-friendly show. Subsequently left without incident,” Bastyovanszky’s email reads.

As for the complaint against him, Bastyovanszky hasn’t seen it but denies any allegations that he behaved improperly.

“What was shared with me was that it was an anonymous complaint, with no witnesses or evidence, and no mention of specific behaviours or actions I had allegedly done,” he said. “As such, the IC dismissed it as without merit and expressed concern it was potentially politically motivated as ABC appointees sit on the board.”

Bastyovanszky was formerly a member of the ABC party but left after Mayor Ken Sim announced the city would be moving to dissolve Vancouver’s elected Park Board. He currently sits as an independent with fellow former ABC commissioners Scott Jensen and Laura Christensen. The Park Board is currently exploring a legal challenge to stop the dissolution.

Bastyovanszky says the Integrity Commissioner sent a letter to the Mayor’s Office in November of 2023 outlining the reasons why a formal investigation was not opened. In a statement to CityNews, the Mayor’s Office says it never received any letter from the Integrity Commissioner around Bastyovanszky and the PNE.

The PNE denies claims that the complaint against Bastyovanszky was politically motivated.

“We cannot speak to Commissioner Bastyovanszky’s version of the evening, but the PNE stands behind our staffs’ account of the incident. Further, the PNE is a 114-year-old not-for-profit that is apolitical. We must protect the integrity of our organization and our team members. This incident is not something we would normally comment on publicly but given your questions and the discrepancies in the Commissioner’s version of events we felt we had no other choice,” Ballance said.

The PNE says it has discussed options for dealing with this complaint through the Integrity Commissioner’s office and “will pursue resolution as appropriate.”