Hawkesbury council could reconsider allowing a citizen question period at town council meetings.
On Tuesday, November 12, council agreed to have staff research and report back to council about if a question period should return and what form it could possibly take.
Question period was discontinued in 2022. Several residents have recently been disappointed they cannot question council directly at meetings unless they reserve ahead as a delegation.
Resident Yves Charlebois did appear as a delegation to council on November 12 and said the removal of question period limits citizens’ ability to personally question council and get answers. He said no question period reduces council’s transparency to citizens.
“Transparency is the responsibility of elected officials,” he said.
Charlebois added that being able to ask questions directly is preferable to citizens having to go back and forth with councillors by telephone and email.
Mayor Robert Lefebvre agreed that transparency is important and emphasized that council listens to citizens.
Currently, citizens wanting to appear as a delegation before council must complete a form.
Councillor Antonios Tsourounakis said that before he was elected as a councillor, he once appeared as a delegation but does not recall having to complete a form. He wondered if it is time to reevaluate the policy and see how it could be made easier for citizens to address council.
“It has to be as easy as possible,” Tsourounakis said.
He suggested restoring question period with a possible limit of two questions per citizen.
Councillor Jeanne Charlebois agreed it is important for citizens to have the opportunity to speak to council but wondered if questions should be submitted ahead of time.
Lefebvre acknowledged things have changed over the past 20 years since question period was first permitted by Hawkesbury council in 2005. He urged citizens to always contact their representatives. “We are accessible,” he emphasized.
Yves Charlebois said allowing questions is a matter of liberty and freedom of expression.
Lefebvre said all citizens know how to contact councillors
“You have their telephone numbers,” he said.
“You are invited at all times to speak with us,” Lefebvre added.
Cardarelli said a reevaluation of the question period and delegation policy is possible.
Council agreed to have staff research the policy and other options and then return to council with a report and recommendations.
