When someone gets up to speak at a public municipal hearing or writes a letter to council, they are asked to give their address.
Up until now, this information has remained on the public record.
Does this discourage people from speaking up?
Many Bowen Island councillors are worried that it does.
“Nowadays, some people are reluctant to speak in public if their home address will be broadcast, especially women,” said councillor Sue Ellen Fast at Monday night’s Bowen Island Municipality council meeting. “The current rule about disclosing your address might discourage some people from speaking, which is not what we want.”
Barring any provincial rules that require a speaker or letter-writer to provide their precise address, council wants its new policy on protocol to discontinue the practice. If council wants to know whether someone has a direct tie to the island, they can borrow from the Islands Trust, says Fast. She’s on the Islands Trust council and, when someone is hesitant to say where they live, she simply asks “And your interest in the islands is…?”
The discussion was part of council’s response to the new draft administrative policy. It more clearly outlines the format of public hearings, verbal submissions and what sort of bylaws will go to public hearing.
“The purpose is to standardize processes and procedures,” says Hope Dallas. By setting it out more clearly, both council and the community know what the protocols are.
