HRM councillors spending too much time behind closed doors?
Posted Aug 10, 2010 05:55:50 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Critics say regional council is holding too many meetings behind closed doors, and it’s not good policy.
Speaking on News 95.7’s Maritime Morning yesterday, Coun. Barry Dalrymple (Fall River-Beaverbank) said he feels there’s too much being discussed during “in-camera” sessions.
“Every one of these items that go in camera are heavily debated by council, whether or not they should be in camera,” he said. “We can go back over the past two years, or 10 years, and pick all kinds of different items..and whetehr they should or shouldn’t be in camera.”
The province’s municipal government act says transactions involving municipal property, personnel matters, public security and litigation can be discussed privately.
But Darce Fardy of the Right to Know Coalition says it’s becoming common practice for other topics to find their way into the private debate – and it’s disengaging the electorate.”
“(It’s) one of the reasons why so few people are interested in public policy here and less than 60 per cent fo them vote in elections,” he said.
Municipal Relations Spokesperson Tina Thibeau says the system is, for the most part, self-policed.
“It’s really up to the municipalities to ensure that in both council and committee meetings that they adhere to the Municipal Government Act,” she said. “So it would be up to them to decide what matters are held during those private discussions.”
Thibeau says municipal advisors are only called in to investigate if there is a complaint about a violation of the act.
She wouldn’t say whether there have been any complaints or violations on record in regards to Halifax Regional Council and the Municipal Government Act.
