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City of Nanaimo cracks down on question period

Citizens will have to submit their questions to staff before they can read the questions aloud
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Citizens wishing to ask a question at city council meetings will have to fill out a one-page form and submit it to the city clerk for approval before it can be read aloud. THE NEWS BULLETIN

The City of Nanaimo has implemented stricter rules to ensure that question period at council meetings serves its purpose.

City clerk Sheila Gurrie introduced a new process at Monday’s council meeting, requiring that members of the public submit their questions in writing, which Gurrie will approve before they can be read aloud. Previously, question period was more of an open mike.

Gurrie said the new process is intended to improve decorum, keep debate on topic and create paper records with which staff can follow up when appropriate.

“It’s to help questions be asked in accordance with our procedure bylaw, which is based on agenda items only, and it’s to help [limit] the statements and the debate and the inappropriateness that can occur,” Gurrie said.

Coun. Bill Bestwick said the change could help the city conduct business in a more timely manner.

“I’m looking forward to doing anything that we can do, to try anything that we can to make these meetings, beginning to end, more efficient,” he said.

Coun. Ian Thorpe agreed, saying he doesn’t think question period has been efficient and is willing to give the new system a try.

Coun. Diane Brennan expressed concerns about the process, saying it removes the authority of the meeting’s chairperson.

“I think there’s some difference of opinion about what it means to provide assistance. I don’t think assistance is determining whether a question is within the [boundaries] of a question period. From my point of view, that’s up to the chair,” Brennan said.

City chief administrative officer Tracy Samra said there’s no subversion of the power of the chair and pointed out that citizens can appeal to the meeting’s chairperson if their question is rejected.

“It’s a real-time operation of democracy…” Samra said. “It’s not meant to be cumbersome or to curtail people’s ability to ask the questions.”

Councillors Gord Fuller and Jim Kipp also expressed support for the process.

“A lot of times, [question period] becomes an open period for people and attacks against individuals or certain councillors because of statements they made versus attacking the issue,” Kipp said.

Almost all the questions at Monday night’s question period pertained to the new process, and ensuing discussion and disagreement at the council table became disorderly to the point where Coun. Sheryl Armstrong, acting mayor, had to call a recess.

“Maybe this reform isn’t the answer, because it didn’t seem like it, but we’ll see…” said Coun. Bill Yoachim, after the recess. “I’m not sure I’m sold on it myself yet.”

Armstrong expressed hope that everyone will have an open mind about the changes to question period.

“We’re testing this,” Armstrong said. “We need to see, will it work better? And if it doesn’t, I’m sure we can make adjustments to it.”



editor@nanaimobulletin.com

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