There was a testy exchange between Maple Ridge city councillors, after Gordy Robson asked members of a council slate why they had attended a meeting of the Canadian Freedom Coalition – a group that opposes vaccine mandates.
“I understand four of our councillors were there discussing something about municipal business or elections, and I just wondered if we could be briefed on what that was,” he asked his colleagues at the June 14 meeting.
After the meeting, Robson clarified that he wanted to determine if councillors had acted inappropriately. He said a majority of councillors are not allowed to meet outside of a council meeting, and discuss upcoming city issues. All city business must be done before the public, with exceptions that private meetings of council are allowed for councillors to discuss land transactions, legal matters, and personnel/labour issues.
Robson said four councillors constitutes a quorum, so they should not be discussing city business outside of a regular council meeting. He wasn’t sure whether his colleagues had crossed a line.
“This is right on the edge, and it’s very disappointing,” said Robson. “All business of the city must be done at a council meeting.”
Maple Ridge First is an elector organization headed by Mayor Mike Morden, registered with elections B.C.. Councillors Judy Dueck, Ryan Svendsen and Chelsa Meadus are also part of the organization.
There was no immediate answer to Robson’s question. Morden went on to his report, but did not mention the CFC meeting.
Next, Coun. Ahmed Yousef said he had briefly researched the CFC, and found the results “rather disturbing,” and asked for “clarity on Coun. Robson’s question.”
He was muted by Morden, who said Robson’s question came during mayor and councillor reports, and it was not the proper forum for the question.
“You’re making a speech of some sort, or whatever you’re doing, but you’re not providing a council report,” Morden told Yousef. “And what Coun. Robson managed to do too was not within the scope of a council report.”
Morden called for a motion of adjournment. Svendsen made the motion, but it was not seconded.
Meadus called for a point of order, to which Morden said “I strongly discourage where we’re going here.”
But Meadus said she would like to add to her council report, and thanked Robson for reminding her about the meeting with “the community group that reached out to some of us.” She said they had been asking for an update on council’s activities for the past four years.
She said she does not discriminate against anyone who would like to hear about her work.
“I attended an event with over 100 people really interested in politics and interested in the work that I’ve been doing, and some of the other colleagues that were personally invited as well. I was pleased to attend, actually spoke for 2.5 hours – that’s how interested they were about the work we’ve been doing. I can only speak for myself… the work I’ve been doing. And I thought it was a great event.”
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At that point the council meeting was adjourned.
The Canadian Freedom Coalition’s local social media page contains information about fighting COVID-19 vaccine mandates, with videos showing vaccine protests in Maple Ridge and the Lower Mainland, an ad for a presentation about natural immunity and vaccination, and more.
There was an ad for the meeting with Maple Ridge council that said the topic of discussion would be the upcoming Maple Ridge city election on June 7 at the Pitt Meadows facility called the Vancouver Revival Centre.
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