Vancouver: Mystery continues to shroud the paid suspension of the B.C. Film Commission’s director and marketing manager while the government ministry investigating their ‘managerial procedures’ is weeks from clearing the air.

Mark DesRochers and Alice To were told to go home Nov. 13 by representatives of the Ministry of Competition, Science and Enterprise, the provincial government body that oversees the film industry in B.C. DesRochers and To, who live together, have been with the commission for 15 and 10 years, respectively.

DesRochers says he is perplexed by the ‘leave with pay’ and has never been given a written list of the complaints against him. Originally, he says, there were questions of conflict because of his domestic partnership with To. However, their relationship is well known in the local industry and was fully disclosed when DesRochers won the job two years ago.

Lucy Stephenson, spokesperson for the ministry, says the investigation is being overseen by Deputy Minister Donald Leitch and stems from ‘expressions of concerns’ that obligated officials to launch the review.

She says the issue is difficult because it deals with personnel and she won’t speculate on the outcome that should be known by the end of February.

‘We are deeply concerned that the B.C. Film Commission has no director or marketing manager,’ says Pete Mitchell, chair of the Community Marketing Group, a long-standing local industry coalition funded by producers, suppliers, unions and others. The CMG pays part of the B.C. Film Commission’s $830,000 annual budget and was not consulted about the suspensions. ‘It’s going to have a negative effect on the industry,’ says Mitchell.

Lindsay Allen, the director of film policy at the Competition Ministry is acting commissioner.

Mitchell, the previous B.C. Film commissioner, says DesRochers is internationally recognized in his field and the local industry has lined up to support DesRochers and To.

‘The level of support from the industry here, in L.A. and around the world has been overwhelming…humbling,’ says DesRochers.

Rick Thorpe, minister of competition, science and enterprise, wants to double the value of the local industry by 2004.