Editor:
Re: Politicians enact plan to curb ‘abuse’, March 2
White Rock Mayor Wayne Baldwin believes that question periods at council meetings were: “not very effective,” and didn’t “accomplish very much.” Question period was eliminated in February 2015.
Baldwin believes that multiple delegations on a single topic are “not productive.” As of last week, delegations on a single topic are limited to one a year. More decisions are being made in-camera.
These are not examples of “better ways of communication,” and likely a significant cause of citizen frustration.
Democracy and public participation are not served by a thin-skinned mayor’s futile attempt to have the RCMP remove former-councillor Margaret Woods from a public meeting. Still, the mayor states: “I was quite right in saying that she should be ejected,” with Coun. Grant Meyer citing an opinion of council colleagues at a conference.
The mayor attempts to justify the passage of the ‘conduct and debate’ bylaw by comparing this with the actions of Mayor Naheed Nenshi of Calgary. Nenshi shut down face-to-face meetings on only one issue.
Also, Nenshi took this action due to physical assaults on staff and promised the city would have an open virtual town hall where people can submit questions by text or video. Still, many see Nenshi’s action as an example of intimidation, quashing free speech and limiting the democratic right to ask questions.
In stating half the municipalities in B.C. don’t have question period, Baldwin’s research is as questionable as his claim to having been correct in his unfulfilled desire to eject Woods. Virtually all municipalities in B.C. encourage citizen participation. The policies of Vancouver, Surrey, Langley, Port Coquitlam, North Vancouver and Mission and others refute his claim.
The legislation of the mayor and council of White Rock are retrograde and abusive to the citizens.
John Reed, White Rock
