Yesterday I received the response below from our Minister of Municipal Affairs regarding the recording of City Council meetings.

Dear Mr. Weed

Thank you for your recent email regarding the procedural bylaw of the City of Spruce Grove. I understand you have recently discussed your concerns directly with Municipal Affairs staff.

The Municipal Government Act requires that the council meetings be open to the public. While the public is encouraged to observer council in action at the duly convened meetings, the meetings are held for the purpose of conducting public business. The council, therefore, through its own procedural bylaw, sets forth rules to facilitate the orderly conduct of all in attendance at the meetings, and if so by whom and under what conditions, rests with council.

It is clear that you disagree with the recent decision of the Council of the City of Spruce Grove to prohibit third party recordings of council proceedings. However, the city is acting within its legislated authority in establishing this policy.

With respect to your concerns regarding the manner in which the cit communicates such decisions, this is a matter within the jurisdiction of the local council. I encourage you to discuss your concerns directly with the city.

Thank you again for writing,

Sincerely,

Ray Danyluk
Minister

Ok this is nothing we didn’t know already. The City Council says its Provincial law that allows them to act this way and the Provincial government says, no, it’s within the City’s jurisdiction, and around and around we go.

This perpetual merry-go-round does not seem to encourage a transparent Government at both the municipal and provincial levels.

I will have more to say on this after I meet the Mr. Doug Horner, MLA for Spruce Grove-Sturgon-St.Albert, later this afternoon.

Don’t forget to vote on our new poll regarding this topic on our home page.