Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson scolded some fellow municipal lawmakers over what he suggested was their lack of decorum in council Tuesday.
“Councillors are questioning each other’s motives and speaking to each other quite inappropriately,” Iveson said. “I’m going to just be clear and up front that as of now, I’m going to chair this meeting more firmly so that we can ensure that we have a space that is appropriate for debate of the issues rather than our opinions of each other.”
Councillors debated a number of issues on their final day in council ahead of a four-week summer break.
One of those issues was a motion to ask for provincial permission to give the city more control over mature trees in Edmonton, a controversial motion which passed but not without its share of vocal opposition.
READ MORE: City committee votes in favour of bylaw aimed at preserving Edmonton’s old trees
The mayor spoke to reporters after council met and suggested the summer break couldn’t come at a more perfect time.
“I think it’s been a very long session and I think we’ve dealt with a number of more contentious items of late and I think everybody could use a break but I think that the emphasis is that we’re here to discuss issues, not personalities and we should just stay focused on that,” he said. “I think that’s what Edmontonians expect of their councillors is rigorous agreement or disagreement on the issues but not that any member of council be disagreeable with one another or city staff or the public.”
Watch below: One councillor wants to lift the veil on council proceedings after growing concerns over some council business being debated in private. Vinesh Pratap reports.
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