A former Liberal MLA has been told to remove the provincial emblem from his private business ventures. Last month, the Tri-Cities NOW reported on what appeared to be the misuse of the province’s coat of arms on a letter from former MLA

Harry Bloy’s business, called Global Business Canada, to the City of Port Moody.

The letter was related to a sister city request with Tianning District in China.

On Wednesday, Coquitlam-Maillardville NDP MLA Selina Robinson brought up the issue in the legislature.

According to Hansard, she asked whether the premier gave Bloy permission to use the coat of arms to promote his business.

In response, Transportation Minister Todd Stone said as soon as the issue was brought to the government’s attention, the office of protocol as well as legal services were immediately “on it.”

“They were in immediate contact with the individual, and I understand that immediately following being contacted, the individual in question removed the material from his website and has also provided assurances that he will no longer use the provincial emblem on any other material,” Stone said.

The letter from Bloy to the City of Port Moody, dated Feb. 11, 2014, also includes a picture he used while MLA. Underneath it reads “Harry Bloy, M.L.A.” in larger print, while in smaller writing it notes he was the member for Burnaby-Lougheed from 2001-2013.

According to the Provincial Symbols and Honours Act: “A person, other than the Lieutenant Governor, a member of the Executive Council, a member of the Legislative Assembly or a judge of the Supreme Court, a County Court or the Provincial Court, must not, without the permission of the minister, assume, display or use the Coat of Arms of British Columbia or a design so closely resembling it as to be likely to deceive.”

When the Tri-Cities NOW published its original story on March 20, a reporter attempted to contact Bloy, but he did not respond.

© Tri-Cities Now