EDITORIAL – Why one City council has banned the public from its meetings

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

CITY COUNCILLORS in Kamloops sometimes worry about members of the public being impolite, or speaking too long during meetings in council chambers, but our Tournament Capital lawmakers should be grateful they don’t have to put up with what their Surrey counterparts go through.

Here in River City, somebody going on too long (hence, the five-minute limitation at the mike) or speaking out of turn in the public gallery is about as unruly as it ever gets.

Down in Surrey, though, the council has temporarily closed its council meetings to in-person attendance by the public. Residents can view them on video at City Hall if they want, but they can no longer attend in council chambers.

“This is the result of escalating protests,” said Mayor Brenda Locke.

“Every member of this council respects the right to protest, however the right to peaceful assembly does not extend to blockading peaceful activities.”

The problem is with pro-Palestinian protesters who have disrupted the council meetings for the past several weeks.

“Surrey council meetings have been regularly disrupted and the actions of protesters are disrupting the right of the public to attend and speak on items from the meeting’s agenda.”

In addition to excluding the public from meeting chambers, security has been ramped up.

A couple of school boards have also had business disrupted by unruly protesters.

Excluding the public from a physical presence at meetings of elected representatives is a serious step — the right to talk directly to those we voted for is a cherished part of our democratic process.

Fortunately, the Kamloops council hasn’t been faced with such disruptions. Even when Coun. Nancy Bepple presented her motion to support a ceasefire in Gaza, those who showed up in chambers were polite about it when they spoke.

When I was sitting in the mayor’s chair, I had to shut down a meeting only once, and that was because of a single disrupter who refused to leave the podium and allow the meeting to continue. I declared a trespass and recessed the meeting and council left the chambers until police arrived and convinced the individual to leave.

It was an extreme measure but I felt I had no choice and, as far as I know, it hasn’t happened here again. I guess the folks here at home are polite enough to appreciate the importance of respectful debate and to understand that if you abuse it, you might lose it.

Mel Rothenburger is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor.  He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.