I was appalled at the action of Councillor Beech, in her attack of Gail Hall at the council meeting on Aug. 8.
Gail Hall, had no opportunity to defend herself and the attack was totally unprovoked. Council is not to interact with the galllery at this portion of the meeting, yet the mayor allowed it to happen.
Councillor Bennett, read out a rant against the naysayers (his words) on the 21- year EPCOR agreement, saying some public were spouting lies and totally distorting the information and not listening to what the staff and council were saying. I wonder why we don’t respect council and some senior staff recomendations?
First of all, we the public, are given two minutes to speak on anything on the agenda, regardless of the number of items, in this case 10 items. One cannot effectively cover all the points on all the items in such a short time. We are only allowed to speak at the beginning of the meeting and never allowed to interject or ask questions or give comment, on individual agenda items. Only staff and council can interject.
When sitting in the gallery, I sure hear comments, whispered, which are valid and should be made to council. It is most unfortunate. The comments from council were that no one comes to the open houses and committee meetings, yet they make decisions, they say based on comments from open houses and committee meetings. When the public is not heard, that is when they become apathetic or in some countries, as we see all over the world now, act out their anger. I do not advocate the latter, but do insist that our freedom of speech is not hampered by rules and controls put into place to allow only the acceptable comments which further public debt and control. The system needs a change.
Respect is earned.
Ellen Lewers
Sooke