A presentation to city council on Monday was shut down by the mayor of Richmond after he called remarks directed at city council “offensive.”
A handful of people were in the gallery at Richmond city council on Monday holding signs saying “No drugs in Richmond,” and two people had signed up to address city council about its code of conduct.
Both referenced comments made by city councillors during two raucous meetings in February about a motion asking Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) to examine the feasibility of a safe drug consumption site at Richmond Hospital.
Sheldon Starrett, who ran unsuccessfully in the last municipal election, cited passages from the code of conduct, and said he was speaking out to see what recourse the public has to make complaints about city councillors in a “fair and transparent” way. He noted the code of conduct doesn’t have any mention of how the public can file a complaint against city councillors.
But it was a presentation by Fion Lo, also listed on the agenda as speaking about council’s code of conduct, that the mayor cut off.
Lo claimed Coun. Carol Day selectively read out online comments on the topic and added “physical gestures to smear everyone opposing (the safe-consumption site).”
At that point, Brodie interrupted her, saying “if you’ve read the rules of procedure, you will realize that we don’t allow offensive comments about members of council from the public, OK? So, you’re not going to make offensive comments.”
Lo went on with her presentation, continuing her criticism of Day and then criticizing Coun. Kash Heed.
The mayor once again interrupted her presentation.
“This is obviously some kind of political speech that you’re giving us,” Brodie told her. “You’re going one councillor after another. I told you not to make offensive remarks. You continued.”
When she argued these were “facts” and “statements,” Brodie interrupted her saying “you are finished” and adjourned the meeting.
Lo clarified to the Richmond News after the meeting that she wasn’t criticizing the councillors, rather she was questioning their statements at the Feb. 12 and Feb. 13 meetings.
After the meeting was ended, there were calls from the audience of “no freedom of speech,” “ridiculous” and “this is our mayor — these are our councillors.”
During the meetings on Feb. 12 and 13, there were about 100 speakers who spoke on the safe consumption site issue. Before the meetings, rallies were held outside city hall with chanting of “no drugs, no drugs.”
While the motion was supported by the majority of city council, with only Couns. Alexa Loo and Chak Au voting in opposition.
VCH came out shortly after saying they weren’t planning a safe consumption site at Richmond Hospital.
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