Nanaimo councillors raise concerns over bylaw changes banning recording at meetings

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As The City of Nanaimo attempts to deal with unruly conduct during council meetings, a proposed ban on recording has some councillors raising concerns.

Bylaw changes that include bans on photography and audio and video recordings of council meetings passed three readings at a February 24th council meeting, with council voting 7-2 in favour of the changes.

Under the rules, which would still need to be adopted at a later date, photography and recording at a meeting could still be permitted if allowed by the meeting’s chair.

Councillors Hilary Eastmure and Sheryl Armstrong voted against the changes, and expressed concern about their ability to stand up to legal challenges.

At a meeting this past week, Councillor Paul Manly, who originally voted in favour of the changes, said he’s not comfortable with the bylaw as it’s worded and that he would be bringing forward a motion to revisit discussion on the issue at a later date.

Eastmure, Manly, and Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog spoke with Midcoast Morning about the issue.

For more local reporting on this story, you can find a February 27 piece in The Discourse from CHLY alumni Mick Sweetman.

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