A demand to restore Question Period has support from some Hawkesbury council members.
“Maybe this is an opportunity to take a look at that policy,” said Councillor Antonios Tsourounakis, during the November 12 council session.
Councillor Tsourounakis` comment followed a presentation by Yves Charlebois, asking for reinstatement of Question Period as part of the regular council meeting agenda.
In the past the agenda for Hawkesbury council sessions included at least one period during the meeting when anyone in the public gallery attending council that day could pose questions to council and administration on either a topic that was part of the meeting agenda or an issue or problem of concern to the person asking the question. There was a limit on the amount of time allowed for a person to ask their question and also sometimes on the number of questions they were allowed to pose during question period. Sometimes in the past some people had abused Question Period by taking too long to ask their question, giving a speech on a subject rather than asking a specific question, or trying to engage council members in a debate on a topic rather than pose an actual question.
Past revisions of the procedural policy dealing with the operation of council had removed Question Period from the meeting agenda. Charlebois asked council to make it part of the regular agenda again.
‘‘Everyone has a right to express their opinion,” he said.
Charlebois also expressed concern about some of the guidelines that deal with residents wanting to present an issue to council, either as part of a delegation, or by other means. He said the guidelines made it difficult for the average citizen to complain about a problem or talk to council members about an issue.
Councillor Tsourounakis expressed sympathy for Charlebois` concerns. He said the policy for allowing residents to approach council about an issue or concern “has to be as easy as possible”.
Tsourounakis proposed, with support from Councillor Jeanne Charlebois, that administration review the procedural policy and look at the feasibility of restoring Question Period, with guidelines for council, administration, and members of the public to follow so that it is efficient and effective and is not abused.
