CATCH asks for apologies
May 25, 2006

CATCH (Citizens at City Hall) forwarded the following request to city council earlier today:

To Mayor Di Ianni and Members of Hamilton City Council

At the Committee of the Whole meeting on Thursday, May 18, a citizen presenter, Mr Kieran Dickson, was treated very inappropriately, and subjected to repeated badgering by councillor Kelly, despite attempts by other councillors to convince him to stop.

All of you were there for the meeting, so we are sure you remember it well and have formed an opinion on the propriety of Mr Kelly's actions. But since Mayor Di Ianni had temporarily left the chair and the chambers during part of the interaction between Mr Kelly and Mr Dickson, we have attached a transcript of the interaction for your information and possible review. We could provide an audio version if that would be helpful.

This incident sends a very unfortunate message to citizens contemplating presenting their views to city council, and may convince many to never put themselves in such a position. We're sure that is not the wish or intention of city council, so we respectfully recommend that Mr Kelly issue a formal public apology to Mr Dickson and the residents of our community so that citizens may be reassured that their participation at council committee meetings is valued and respected, and that they are not in danger of being subjected to any semblance of what occurred on May 18.

We also suggest that the full council consider adding its apology to Mr Kelly's, since the incident reflects poorly on all councillors, and indicates a need to find effective ways of intervening and bringing a halt to inappropriate behaviour by members of council.

We look forward to working with council in encouraging effective and respectful public participation in the civic affairs of our city.

TRANSCRIPT of the May 18 incident (prepared by CATCH):

Kelly: "Very briefly, and I appreciate that Mr Deputy-Mayor. And Kieran I appreciate you coming forward here today. Just for the sake of the record - and it's good to hear from a ward seven resident and I have great respect for the legal community, as my colleagues know too. Which neighbourhood do you live in ward seven?" Dickson: "I'm near Upper James and Stone Church." Kelly: "So you have a single family residential house? And you like your front lawn and you like your back yard?". Dickson: "Mr Kelly, uh" [laughter, voices in the background] interrupted by Kelly: "It's just a question. It's just a question." [off mic comment from McHattie ]. Kelly [laughing]: "I didn't know you hired Brian as legal counsel [laughs again]."

Dickson: "I think that I should answer but by replying that I actually do not own my own home and am living in a family home with relatives." Kelly: "But you do have a lot and yes?" Dickson: "No, I'm not a property owner." Kelly: "No, but you do enjoy a front yard and a backyard?" Dickson: "I'm not - your sarcastic point" interrupted by Kelly: "It's not sarcastic sir. I'm asking through the chair to you, do you live in a residential property or do you live in a multi-residential development?" Dickson: "And I've answered that question." Interrupted by Kelly: "No, I'm asking. Do you live in a single family home? Do you have a lot with a front yard and a backyard, or do you live in a multi-residential property?" Dickson: "Mr Kelly. I don't believe that any of the points, through you Mr Deputy-Mayor. Mr Kelly I don't believe that any of the points that you've made are" interrupted by Kelly: "I haven't made a point yet. I'm asking you a question." [off mic voices]. Dickson: "Mr Deputy Mayor, I don't like the tenor of that question." [loud voices in background].

Kelly : "Mr Deputy Chair the reason I'm asking is because as we go through this process - and I've been involved in the GRIDS process for the nine years I've been - well the five years, actually, since this process started, in varying degrees. And I've listened to the residents, and I've heard over the course of the afternoon a number of speakers talked about you know this has been a flawed process, and we haven't listened to the public, and we need to do this and we need to do that. And basically what I'm saying is that we have heard from the public. I've articulated my feelings through my ward letters to the people of ward seven, about this process and what's going on through this as well. And I've heard from an awful lot of people about the kind of growth they want. And what we have done, and I think what staff have done through this whole process, and the reason why these recommendations are put before us today, is because we have heard a number of different points of view. Yes we need to intensify. Yes we need to consider the urban boundary for the majority of our expansion, but we also have heard, as other communities have heard about the fact that some people still like to have their front lawns and back lawns and live in single family residential. And what the staff have listened to with those comments is to come and bring a conglomerate of those opinions I guess. And that's what we need to do right now. And I guess if I can just make one comment on this, Mr Mayor, because I've listened to a number and I've been at some of these meetings. One final point, because a number of other people have articulated [voices in background] their points of view." Interrupted by a councillor : "Mr Mayor, Mr Mayor, just on a point of order."

Kelly: "You know something, as soon as you mention something concrete, people talk about a point of order. All I'm going to say is this - is that a number of the speakers that are going to say this process is flawed - and I've heard a number of them talk about the expressway, the aerotropolis, the industrial park - is that at some point some people are going to have to accept the point that we want to hear their input and it's important to hear their input, but they represent a minority point of view in this community. And some times what they want is not what's in the best interests"

Interrupted by DiIanni: "I'm going to stop you councillor. I'm going to stop you right there. Listen [applause]. Listen. Hold it a second. This was a process and I know that when the public is engaged they have the right to also criticize us and we accept that. Doesn't mean that they're right. Doesn't mean that they're entirely wrong. We just have to accept it, and it's grist for the mill. At the end of the day we are responsible to debate this and make some decisions. So with that said, let me thank you sir." Dickson: "I don't know - I don't know that I've fully responded to the last" interrupted by DiIanni : "Well I've - what I don't want to do - what I don't want to do is have a debate over this. You've made your point. I'm sorry. I left for a second so I don't know what exactly was happening in the order, but we have given you plenty of time to respond. Councillor, ask your question and then I think we'll move on."

Bratina : "Thank you. Through you Mr Mayor. Sir would you complete the answer to the question that you were trying to answer [noise and laughter]." Dickson: "Through you Mr Mayor, I found the question to be a personalized attack which I found personally - I think it was profoundly insulting and disrespectful." Kelly: "Point of order, Mr Mayor. I simply asked when you were out of the room whether or not the speaker actually lived in a single family residential home with a front lawn and a back lawn. And if he finds that insulting, then that speaks more to" Interrupted by DiIanni : "Let's stop right there. Thank you very much and I appreciate that [next speaker] please."