Public code of conduct is not needed: councillor

Survey shows residents already critical of Cambridge proposal

CAMBRIDGE — An online survey about a new code of conduct for the public at council meetings has caused a bit of a stir in Cambridge.

First off, the survey has an ambiguous name. It’s referred to as a survey for “inclusiveness standards” not a code of conduct for public behaviour at meetings.

“I was shocked to see that, that name had nothing to do with the code of conduct,” said Coun. Jan Liggett.

It left her scratching her head this week.

“How will people know how to find it?” Liggett said.

A draft of the controversial citizen code of conduct was deferred by council in November after some councillors were apprehensive of some of its contents. Liggett was one of them.

At the time she suggested asking the public what they think about the proposed code.

“I think the public thinks they need to have a say because it is something they are going to adhere to,” Liggett said in an interview this week.

The draft code includes clauses such as; refrain from disruptive behaviour, wear proper attire, photo-taking and recording is not permitted without permission from the clerk, and bags can be searched by security for weapons and dangerous items.

These are just a few of the proposed clauses and they are worrisome to not just Liggett but also some Cambridge residents who have already responded to the survey available on the city’s website through Engage Cambridge.

One respondent didn’t understand why recordings of public meetings are an issue and made their thoughts clear in a comment section of the online survey.

“Why should you care if someone records a meeting?” they asked. “Does the city have something to hide? Does such a rule support openness and transparency on your part?”

Another respondent said: “The idea that council wants to apply old school mentality to council chambers only weakens discourse.”

“People have a right to protest, however intimidation of any kind should not be tolerated,” said another respondent.

To Liggett, a separate code of conduct to dictate the behaviour of the public at meetings of council is unnecessary. That’s because most of the rules are covered in the city’s procedural bylaw that governs meetings.

“All we need is what’s in the procedural bylaw.”

The city’s procedural bylaw states that signs and placards are not allowed inside city hall and disruptive behaviour will not be permitted.

Nearby cities have similar rules in their procedural bylaws. In Waterloo, London and Guelph members of the public are not allowed to bring placards and signs into a meeting. Disruptive behaviour is not allowed.

In Guelph, members of the public cannot make detrimental comments or speak ill of anyone at a meeting including the mayor, councillors, staff and public.

In all of these cities, not adhering to the rules can result in getting kicked out.

Liggett said she will not support a code of conduct for members of the public as the draft currently stands.

“To me it shouldn’t matter if someone is recording, it’s a public meeting,” she said. “We should be doing that as a council. We should be recording everything and posting it online.”

She raised concerns about the survey at a general committee meeting on Tuesday. Liggett told council she thought the survey’s questions were leading.

“I’m a little uncomfortable with the suggestion … that we should be involved in the day-today work of staff,” Coun. Donna Reid responded at Tuesday’s meeting.

Mayor Doug Craig said questions appear to be leading when the person reading them doesn’t agree with them.

“Let staff do their job. I’m not too worried about it.”

The survey is fairly simple and asks residents to rank the importance of certain types of behaviour at public meetings such as violence and weapons, appropriate clothing and respectful speaking among others.

It begins with an introduction that says: “In order to ensure open dialogue for city decisionmaking, the city is developing a decorum policy for public meetings.

The survey only had 14 responses as of late Thursday afternoon. Liggett said she thinks it’s because people don’t know it’s there and because not everyone has access to a computer.

In an email to The Record, the city said the name of the survey was changed because “the city’s intention is not to impose a code of conduct on the public, but simply to put standards in place to guide public discussion at meetings and events.”

A city spokesperson said posters were put up around the community to let people know about the survey. It was also shared on social media.

This code of conduct comes after several public meetings about the controversial multiplex project last year. Residents swarmed council chambers with signs, some yelled out during meetings and interrupted council members as they spoke.

A few members of council have said that they sometimes felt intimidated by the public. Security officers were visibly present at some of these meetings.

The online survey will end on March 14. Council is expected to discuss the public code of conduct on March 28.