FALL RIVER/BEAVER BANK: Two local HRM councillors agree that the requirement to keep one’s camera turned one as laid out in a provincial bill to allow virtual meetings is ridiculous.
At a recent HRM Regional Council meeting, HRM solicitor John Traves told councillors the new rules indicate all participants must be seen and heard by the public, so their video feeds should not be turned off.
Brendan Maguire, the minister responsible for Municipal Affairs with the province, told CBC N.S. that Bill 98, which was passed last month, was adopted to allow for virtual meetings outside of an emergency situation such as the pandemic.
Lisa Blackburn, the representative for District 14 (Upper/Middle Sackville-Lucasville-Beaver Bank called the legislation of Bill 98 a tad “insulting.” Waverley-Fall River-Musquodoboit Valley councillor Cathy Deagle Gammon
“The provincial bill that mandates we keep our cameras on at all times during the meeting came as a bit of a shock to me.,” said Blackburn in an email to The Laker News.
“I don’t think it’s practical to expect council to keep their cameras on for the entirety of a meeting that can go for 10 hours sometimes.”
Deagle Gammon said when councillors are speaking their cameras should definitely be on.
“Cameras on is a respectful way to behave to your colleagues, staff, and those residents who are watching,” she said. “I think there are moments, say if I’m going to sneeze, I really don’t want everyone to see that, so I’ll turn my camera off for a few seconds.”
Blackburn said there are some things that those watching the meetings would likely rather not see.
“No one needs to see me stand up and stretch or catch a glimpse of my rear end as I jump up to let the dog out,” she said.
The camera she has usually is on the bulk of the time during meetings.
“I usually try to keep my camera on as much as possible, but often turn it off when a presentation is on the screen,” said Blackburn.
She finds the legislation a bit off-kilter.
“The notion that we have to be babysat to this level is a tad insulting,” Blackburn said.
Deagle Gammon said for the most cameras should be on but agrees with HRM pushing back on it to the province.
“A little bit of common sense doesn’t hurt anybody,” she said.
