[00:00:02]
[1. Councillor McGurk will read the Opening Statement.]
STATEMENT. COUNCILLOR MCGURK.THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WE ARE LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY.
FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL IT HAS BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE YELLOWKNIVES DENÉ FIRST NATION.
WE RESPECT THE HISTORIES, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES OF ALL OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE METIS AND ALL FIRST NATIONS, METIS AND INUIT WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.
AWARD CEREMONIES AND PRESENTATIONS.
THERE WERE NO AWARDS CEREMONIES OR PRESENTATIONS FOR THE AGENDA.
[Items 3 & 4]
COUNCILLOR MCGURK. I MOVE THAT THE MINUTES OF COUNCIL FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27TH, 2023 BE PRESENTED FOR ADOPTION.SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR FEQUET.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.
DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN ANY MATTER BEFORE COUNCIL, TODAY? SEEING NONE.
THERE WERE NO CORRESPONDENCE, NOR WERE THERE ANY PETITIONS FOR THE AGENDA.
[8. A presentation from Derek Lindman, a representative of YK Citizens for Ceasefire, regarding a ceasefire.]
SO WE HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT CAME FORWARD AND THEN WE HAVE A FEW ADDITIONAL.SO HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL THAT WILL ALLOW FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS TO EACH SPEAK BUT BEFORE THAT IS SAID, I'M JUST GOING TO READ THE RULES AS THEY ARE AND I'M GOING TO SAY THEM ONCE SO I DON'T HAVE TO SAY THEM EVERY TIME WE HAVE A NEW PRESENTER TO SAVE US SOME TIME. THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES APPLY TO ALL DELEGATIONS BEFORE COUNCIL.
EACH PRESENTER SHALL BE AFFORDED FIVE MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR PRESENTATION.
ANY MEMBER MAY, THROUGH THE PRESIDING OFFICER, WHICH IS MYSELF, ASK THAT PERSON OR THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR RELEVANT QUESTIONS, AND NO DEBATE SHALL BE PERMITTED ON ANY DELEGATION TO COUNCIL, EITHER BETWEEN MEMBERS OR WITH AN INDIVIDUAL MAKING A PRESENTATION.
ALL RIGHT, AND WE HAVE DEREK LINDEMAN REPRESENTATIVE OF YK CITIZENS FOR CEASEFIRE REGARDING A CEASEFIRE. SO PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU TURN THE MIC ON.
I KNOW WE'RE HAVING SOME DIFFICULTIES THIS AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
I'VE REALLY, I DON'T WANT TO SAY.
I WILL SAY, I WILL SAY I'VE APPRECIATED THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE UNDERGONE IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS THE QUALITY OF LISTENING THAT I'VE RECEIVED, AS WELL AS THE QUALITY OF QUESTIONINGS AS WELL AS THE SUPPORT EITHER EXPRESSED OR IN PUBLIC OR IN PRIVATE HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY MEANINGFUL.
IT MAKES ME IT LEAVES ME WITH A SENSE OF TRUST FOR COUNCIL, AND HOW THE QUALITY OF PEOPLE HERE TODAY. I'VE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR RESOLUTIONS AT LENGTH THROUGH HERE OR THROUGH EMAIL I'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE STATISTICS.
I'VE TALKED ABOUT THE DEATH COUNT.
I'VE TALKED ABOUT THE ACRONYM WCNSF, WOUNDED CHILD, NO SURVIVING FAMILY MEMBERS, WHICH NEEDED TO BE COINED OR CREATED BY DOCTORS IN GAZA DESCRIBING THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND SINCE TWO WEEKS I AM SAD TO REPORT THAT THE SITUATION HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE ACCORDING TO EUROPEAN, MEDITERRANEAN HUMAN RIGHTS OR WATCH, I BELIEVE THE DEATH COUNT IS 23,000 APPROXIMATELY 10,000 CHILDREN.
STÉPHANE DUJARRIC OF THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL HAS ALSO COME OUT TO SAY THAT THERE ARE NO SAFE PLACES IN GAZA.
[00:05:07]
ALSO HEARD FROM RETURNED ISRAELI HOSTAGES THAT THE THING THEY FEARED MOST IN THEIR TIME, THE MOST THE THING THAT PUT THEM IN MOST MORTAL PERIL, THE THING THAT THEY WORRIED WAS THAT WOULD KILL THEM WAS NOT HAMAS, BUT ISRAELI BOMBS, AS QUOTED IN INTERVIEWS OR ARTICLES IN HAARETZ AND YNET ENGLISH.WE'VE ALSO SINCE THEN JAMES ELDER, SPOKESMAN FOR UNICEF, HAS MADE THE POINT THAT THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN GAZA IS SO PERILOUS THAT ANYTHING OTHER THAN A SUSTAINED PEACE AND AT SCALE EMERGENCY AID WILL MEAN CATASTROPHE FOR THE CHILDREN OF GAZA AND HE HIS POINT BEARS OUT YESTERDAY OR DECEMBER 8TH.
I DON'T HAVE TODAY'S STATISTICS.
DECEMBER 8TH THERE WERE 70 TRUCKS THAT MADE OF AID THAT MADE IT THROUGH THIS IS A FAR CRY FROM THE 500 AID TRUCKS THAT WERE NEEDED TO SUSTAIN GAZA BEFORE THE WAR, AND I BELIEVE THE STATISTIC IS 600 TRUCKS A DAY ARE NEEDED NOW VOTING ON THESE RESOLUTIONS AND PASSING THESE RESOLUTIONS, I THINK, MOST CLEARLY SENDS THE MESSAGE THAT YELLOWKNIFE CITY COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE IS A FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP AT THE TOP OF OUR COUNTRY BY FAILING TO CALL FOR A PERMANENT CEASE FIRE.
SAYING AND VOTING YES TO THESE RESOLUTIONS ALSO SENDS THE MESSAGE THAT YELLOWKNIFE KNOWS ITS IMPORTANCE IN THE WORLD AND KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE PART OF A VIBRANT DEMOCRACY WHERE EVERY VOICE MATTERS.
WE HAVE ASKED FOR SOMETHING EXCEPTIONAL BECAUSE THESE ARE EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
THIS RESOLUTION IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PEOPLE PRESENT IN THIS ROOM.
I WOULD SAY BUT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE SO MUCH TO BE PART OF THE ORGANIZATION THAT I AM NOW SPEAKING FOR.
PEOPLE STILL DON'T KNOW IF THEIR FAMILY IS GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT.
PEOPLE STILL DON'T KNOW IF THEIR FRIENDS ARE GOING TO MAKE IT.
VOTING YES IS THE THING THAT I WOULD SUGGEST.
IS DEMONSTRATING OF THE MOST EMPATHY AND ALSO DEMONSTRATING OF THE MOST COURAGE.
IT ALSO SENDS THE MESSAGE TO THE CITIZENS OF YELLOWKNIFE, FOR THE LEAST, THIS SECTION THAT YOU CARE, AND I HOPE I KNOW THAT YOU DO CARE.
FROM HOW YOU'VE CONDUCTED YOURSELVES BUT I WOULD SUGGEST, BUT TAKING IT OVER THE FINISH LINE.
VOTING FOR THESE RESOLUTIONS ALL THREE IS THE MOST SUBSTANTIVE ACT THAT WE CAN DO IN, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SO VERY FAR AWAY. THANK YOU.
QUESTIONS ? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
OPENING THIS UP TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? SEEING NONE. ALL RIGHT.
SO WE HAVE A FEW ADDITIONAL PRESENTERS FOR THIS EVENING.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION BY COUNCIL TO ALLOW FOR RENEE SORRY IS IT [INAUDIBLE]? SORRY. SORRY IF I BOTCHED THAT, BUT FOR RENEE TO COME UP AND BE A PRESENTER.
CAN I GET A MOTION FROM COUNCIL? MOTION BY COUNCILLOR COCHRANE, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR MCGURK.
ALL IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT, RENEE.
YOU CAN COME ON UP AND THE FLOOR IS ALL YOURS.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU MY NAME IS RENEE, AND I'M GOING TO BE READING A STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF NASEEM AWAN A PROUD YELLOWKNIFER WHO ISN'T ABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT SO HONORABLE MAYOR ALTY, ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE YELLOWKNIFE CITY COUNCIL.
[00:10:10]
PALESTINIANS, INCLUDING MORE THAN 9000 CHILDREN WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS.THE NUMBERS SPEAK OF A TRAGEDY THAT EXTENDS BEYOND STATISTICS.
SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS AND REFUGEE CAMPS BOMBED, DISPLACING 1.84 MILLION PEOPLE.
THE SUFFERING IS ENORMOUS AND THE TIME FOR SILENCE HAS PASSED.
THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE ARE ENDURING NOT ONLY LOSS OF LIFE, BUT ALSO OPPRESSION, COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT AND WHAT MANY ARGUE ARE ACTS OF STATE TERRORISM AND WAR CRIMES COMMITTED BY THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION FORCES.
HUMANITY MUST UNITE AGAINST SUCH ATROCITIES, AND AS REPRESENTATIVES OF YELLOWKNIFE, I TRUST YOU WILL STAND AGAINST OPPRESSION, SPEAK OUT AGAINST COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT AND DEMAND AN IMMEDIATE END TO THE STATE SPONSORED VIOLENCE.
AS SOME YELLOWKIFERS WITH TIES TO PALESTINE, GAZA AND THE WEST BANK ANXIOUSLY AWAIT NEWS FROM THEIR LOVED ONES OUR CITY CANNOT REMAIN SILENT. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE IS INSUFFICIENT AND AGAINST CANADIAN VALUES OF FREEDOM AND HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS. WE MUST BE A VOICE FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE.
CITIES ACROSS OUR GREAT NATION, INCLUDING BURNABY, TORONTO AND EDMONTON, ARE RAISING THEIR VOICES.
THEY ARE URGING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE, LASTING CEASE FIRE.
IT IS COMPLICITY IN THE FACE OF HUMAN SUFFERING.
OUR MORAL DUTY CALLS US TO ACT.
LET OUR CITY BE A BEACON FOR HUMANITY, CHOOSING THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY.
TOGETHER, LET US PUT PRESSURE ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT UN SECURITY COUNCIL EFFORTS, AND THROUGH OTHER DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS, TO ENFORCE AN IMMEDIATE AND LASTING CEASE FIRE, PUTTING AN END TO THE DEVASTATION IN OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, ESPECIALLY GAZA AND THE WEST BANK.
NAZEEM AWAN, A PROUD YELLOWKNIFER.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? THANK YOU.
CAN I GET A MOTION FROM COUNCIL TO ALLOW [INAUDIBLE] TO COME UP AND BE A PRESENTER FOR THIS EVENING? MOTION BY COUNCILLOR FEQUET, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR MCGURK.
ALL IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT, [INAUDIBLE], THE FLOOR IS ALL YOURS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
KIND OF RISKY FOR ME, BUT I JUST DECIDED TO SPEAK FROM MY HEART.
IT'S REALLY PAINFUL WHAT WE SEE EVERY DAY, AND FOR A MOM LOOKING AT MY KIDS AND SEEING ALL THE PRIVILEGE THEY HAVE LIVING IN CANADA AND LOOKING AT ALL THOSE KIDS SUFFERING IN PALESTINE, IN GAZA ESPECIALLY.
IT'S HEARTBREAKING AFTER THE MEETING.
I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED THAT I DECIDED NOT EVEN TO COME TONIGHT, BECAUSE I THOUGHT ALL THE EFFORT THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING FOR CLOSE TO TWO MONTHS NOW WITH PROTESTS, AND ALL THE MEETINGS THAT WERE ORGANIZING WERE NOT FRUITFUL, BUT THEN WHILE I WAS SITTING ON MY BED, I JUST BRING SOME MEMORIES OF ME BEING A CANADIAN AND BEING A CANADIAN IMMIGRANT, AND HOW PROUD I AM TO CALL CANADA HOME, AND HOW THIS COUNTRY HAVE DONE FOR ME AND MY KIDS, AND THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE BEING A CANADIAN, AND CANADA SEEN FROM OUTSIDE BY AN IMMIGRANT IS THAT COUNTRY THAT IS FILLED OF LOVE, KINDNESS, JUSTICE.
THAT'S HOW PEOPLE SEE CANADA FROM THE OUTSIDE, AND ME BEING FORTUNATE TO BE PART OF THE BOTH SIDES.
THAT'S HOW ALSO I SEE AND HOW I LEAVE CANADA.
THIS COUNTRY IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY ON EARTH AND
[00:15:10]
JUST THE FACT THAT WE'RE SILENT ON GENOCIDE IS JUST OVERWHELMING BECAUSE W ITH ALL THE HISTORY THAT WE HAVE, WHAT HAPPENED WITH INDIGENOUS KIDS, EVERYONE WHO SEES THAT WOULD WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK ON TIME AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, BUT NOW THAT THIS IS HAPPENING AND WE CAN DO SOMETHING, PLEASE DO NOT LET THAT CHANCE GO.TO SPEAK UP FOR KIDS, TO SPEAK UP FOR JUST HUMANITY.
THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT, AND THAT BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY.
THAT'S WHAT IT HAS TAUGHT ME FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
WE'RE ALL HUMAN, AND THAT'S WHAT MATTERS.
OPENING TO COUNCIL ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
CAN I GET A MOTION FROM COUNCIL? MOTION BY COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR FEQUET.
ALL IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT, AMY, THE STAGE IS ALL YOURS.
HAVE TO LOWER IT THANK YOU FOR THIS LAST MINUTE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I WASN'T SURE IF I WAS GOING TO SPEAK OR NOT TONIGHT BUT I DID DECIDE AT THE LAST MINUTE TO SPEAK.
DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO PRINT, SO READ IT RIGHT OFF MY COMPUTER TODAY IS 66 DAYS SINCE ISRAEL STARTED ITS BOMBARDMENT AND TOTAL SIEGE OF GAZA. GAZA IS A TINY STRIP OF LAND 41KM LONG, AND BETWEEN 6 AND 12KM WIDE, HAS A LAND MASS OF 365KM². YELLOWKNIFE IS 134.
THIS TINY STRIP, ROUGHLY 2.52.5 TIMES THE SIZE OF YELLOWKNIFE, HOUSES 2.2 MILLION PEOPLE.
YELLOWKNIFE, IN CONTRAST, HAS UNDER 20,000.
IN THE PAST 66 DAYS, EXPLOSIVE, THE EQUIVALENT OF TWO NUCLEAR BOMBS HAVE BEEN DROPPED ON GAZA.
VERY, VERY LIMITED AID HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATED TO ENTER.
HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? IT IS BECAUSE FOR THE LAST 16 YEARS, ISRAEL HAS IMPOSED AN AIRTIGHT LAND, SEA AND AIR BLOCKADE ON THE AREA AND TIGHTLY CONTROLS WHAT GOES IN AND OUT.
GAZA HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS AN OPEN AIR PRISON.
WORDS THAT HAVE BEEN USED IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS TO DESCRIBE WHAT IS HAPPENING ARE CATASTROPHIC.
A VISIT I HAD TO PALESTINE FOUR YEARS AGO LEFT ME SHATTERED.
IT WAS THERE THAT I LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE AREA HEBRON LEFT ME BROKEN IN MANY WAYS, SEEING THE INDIGNITY THAT IS SUFFERED EVERY DAY BY PALESTINIANS, AND THE OPPRESSION AND THE MILITARIZED WAY OF LIFE, WITH CHECKPOINTS AFTER CHECKPOINTS.
I DEBATED LONG AND HARD ON WHETHER TO SPEAK UP, AND THIS WAS REALLY A LAST MINUTE DECISION.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE OR NOT.
SINCE THE TIME I'VE BEEN POLITICALLY AWARE, THERE HAS BEEN THE OSLO ACCORDS, THE FAILURE OF CAMP DAVID, THE SECOND INFETTATA, THE BLOCKADE OF GAZA, ILLEGAL SETTLEMENTS IN THE WEST BANK, THE GREAT MARCH OF RETURN, MULTIPLE WARS, UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS AT BOYCOTTS, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS.
THIS HAS BEEN A HIGHLY EMOTIONAL AND LONG STANDING CRISIS, AND THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A RIGHT ANSWER, OR ONE THAT WOULD NOT INEVITABLY BREAK OUT INTO HEATED ARGUMENTS.
SO I DECIDED TO SPEAK UP BECAUSE I WANT TO ADD A PUBLIC VOICE, NO MATTER HOW SMALL, TO THE BIGGEST POLITICAL ELEPHANT WE HAVE WE'VE HAD IN THE LAST 75 YEARS.
[00:20:02]
OCTOBER 7TH WAS NO, NO DOUBT HEINOUS, BUT HISTORY DID NOT BEGIN ON OCTOBER 7TH WITHOUT DISCUSSION.THERE WILL BE NO PROGRESS AND OCTOBER 7TH SHOWED WE NEED POLITICAL SOLUTIONS, NOT MILITARY ONES.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE MORE JEWS AND PALESTINIANS THAT WOULD PREFER PEACE RATHER THAN CONFLICT.
HOW DO WE GET THERE? SOME MAY ASK WHAT VOICE THAT A SMALL SUBARCTIC CITY HAVE ON SUCH A MOTION.
THE WORK I'VE BEEN DOING THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS SEEMS BOTH FUTILE AND CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
DOES ANYONE REALLY THINK THAT THE ACTIONS OF YELLOWKNIFE CAN IMPACT THE PRIME MINISTER? I DON'T THINK ANYONE OF US ARE NAIVE TO THINK THAT THIS MOTION WILL BE THE ACTION THAT CHANGES WHAT HAPPENS ACROSS THE WORLD, BUT TAKING ACTION AND PROVIDING A VOICE MATTERS, NO MATTER HOW SMALL.
I LOOK AROUND ME AND I SEE OUR COMMUNITY IN GRIEF.
WE ALONE IN YELLOWKNIFE CANNOT CREATE THE CHANGE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN CONTRIBUTE A TINY IN A TINY, TINY, TINY WAY. I KNOW THAT FOREIGN POLICY IS NOT WITHIN THE CITY'S JURISDICTION, AND MANY OF YOU HAVE SPOKEN UP ON THAT, BUT WHEN LOCAL LEADERS TAKE THE STEP TO SPEAK OUT TO THE PRIME MINISTER, IT GIVES MYSELF, AS WELL AS A COMMUNITY, HOPE THAT HUMANITY WILL TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER PROCESS.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND OUR LAST PRESENTER FOR THE EVENING WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE].
CAN I GET A MOTION FROM COUNCIL? A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR FEQUET, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.
[INAUDIBLE], THE STAGE IS YOURS.
OH, BOY. THANK YOU MEMBERS OF THE ESTEEMED COUNCIL I WAS SUPPOSED TO READ A STATEMENT TODAY FOR SOMEONE WHO'S NOT HERE, BUT I THINK I'M GOING TO GO A LITTLE BIT WILD AND SAY SOMETHING FROM MY OWN I WAS BORN IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE, ALBERTA.
MY MOM'S FAMILY IMMIGRATED FROM LEBANON DURING OUR CIVIL WAR DURING THE 70S AND ARRIVED IN EDMONTON ON HER JOURNEY HERE SHE WAS ABOUT 11 OR SO SORRY, MOM, I'M SHOWING YOUR AGE, BUT THEY HAD TO TRAVEL BY BOAT TO CYPRUS FROM BEIRUT SHE TELLS ME OF THIS NIGHT JOURNEY IN A BOAT THAT'S ABOUT TO CAPSIZE, WITH WAVES SLOSHING OVER THE DECK FROM THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THIS BOAT.
HER COUSINS THROWING UP FROM THE MOTION SICKNESS, SHE HERSELF COULD BARELY HOLD ON . THEN THIS BOAT CAME TO A STOP, AND IN THE NIGHT BRIGHT SPOTLIGHTS ON THIS BOAT FROM AN ISRAELI NAVY SHIP, AND WHAT SHE CAN SEE IS ALL THE PALESTINIAN FAMILIES AROUND HER TEARING THEIR IDENTITY PAPERS AND THROWING THEM INTO THE WATER SO THEY'RE NOT DETAINED.
CAUGHT, AND IT JUST MAKES ME WONDER THE LEVEL THAT YOU'RE AT WHERE THIS PIECE OF PAPER COULD COULD SEND YOU INTO TORTURE, WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU WOULD DESTROY THIS PAPER, AND IT'S YOUR IDENTITY, AND YOU JUST THROW IT OUT.
BY NOW, A POPULATION THE SIZE OF YELLOWKNIFE HAS BEEN KILLED.
MURDERED, AND NET EMANATING FROM YOURSELF TO THE PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY AROUND YOU AND EXTENDING TO PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW, PEOPLE YOU KNOW ARE DEAD.
I THINK, AND WHETHER WE WANT TO.
CHALK IT UP TO SELF-DEFENSE OR NOT.
I THINK 3700 YEARS AGO WHEN AN EYE FOR AN EYE FOR FIRST CAME OUT IF ALL WE HAVE TO SHOW FOR 4000 YEARS OF EVOLUTION IS THIS, THEN I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE WOULD BE GOING.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? SEEING NONE, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE DELEGATIONS THAT CAME AND PRESENTED, [INAUDIBLE].
[00:25:03]
MEMBER STATEMENTS.THERE WERE NO STATEMENTS FOR THE AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY MEMBER STATEMENTS FROM THE FLOOR? SEEING NONE.
INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS.
[Items 11 & 12]
MCGURK. SO HARD TO FOLLOW THAT WITH JUST SOME REGULAR PROCEDURAL.I MOVED THAT THE 2023-2026 COUNCIL STRATEGIC DIRECTION IMPLEMENTATION ACTIONS BE REFERRED BACK TO ADMINISTRATION, TO BE UPDATED AND INCORPORATED TO THE 2024 WORK PLAN, AND TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE IN EARLY 2024 TO REVIEW AND APPROVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND STRATEGIC ACTIONS TOGETHER, AND A SECONDER.
COUNCILLOR. FORGET ANY DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL ON THIS? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
[Items 13 & 14]
GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE REPORT FOR DECEMBER 4TH, 2023, COUNCILLOR MCGURK.I MOVE THAT THE MAYOR WRITE A LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER, JUSTIN TRUDEAU, AND THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, MÉLANIE JOLY, TO REQUEST THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE AND HALT TO VIOLENCE BY BOTH THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND HAMAS.
COUNCILLOR FEQUET AND I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT BY COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.
OKAY. THANK YOU SO I'M GOING TO OPEN THIS UP TO COUNCIL ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN.
THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR ARDEN-SMITH JUST A REMARKS SO MY REMARKS TONIGHT ARE MUCH SHORTER THAN LAST WEEK, TO THE PLEASURE, I'M SURE, OF SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES AND THOSE IN THE ROOM BUT I'LL SPEAK NOW IN REGARDS TO ALL THREE MOTIONS ON THE SUBJECT, TOO.
SO I SORT OF DO THIS ALL IN ONE.
THE OTHER 15% HAS EXPRESSED A COMBINATION OF BELIEVING THAT COUNCIL SHOULDN'T SPEAK ON ISSUES BEYOND OUR JURISDICTION, AND A SMALL HANDFUL STATING THAT BY SPEAKING ON THESE MOTIONS, WE ARE TAKING SIDES.
WHILE I REALLY DO RESPECT THOSE WHO DISAGREE WITH MY POSITION, AS I SPOKE TO THESE CONCERNS LAST WEEK, I WON'T DO THAT AGAIN TONIGHT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT CONTEXT. FOR ME, THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE WHERE I CAN BE SILENT.
THIS IS AN ISSUE OF FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS.
AS A HUMAN, I UNDERSTAND THE INITIAL NEED TO RESPOND DEFENSIVELY TO THE OCTOBER 7TH ATTACK.
WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT DAY WAS HORRIFIC.
IT MUST BE ACKNOWLEDGED AND IT MUST BE CONDEMNED BY ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE, BUT TWO MONTHS ON, AND WITH EVER INCREASING NUMBERS OF CIVILIAN DEATHS AND WITH THE COMPLETE ANNIHILATION OF HOUSING, HEALTH CARE AND ALL INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH NOW MAKES GAZA LARGELY UNINHABITABLE, UNINHABITABLE IN THE COMING YEARS, AND WITH HALF THE POPULATION NOW CONFIRMED BY THE UNITED NATIONS AS OF YESTERDAY TO BE STARVING TO DEATH, I CAN ONLY WATCH IN HORROR AT WHAT IS HAPPENING.
2 MILLION PEOPLE ARE NOW PERMANENTLY DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES.
I HOPE THAT COUNCIL APPROVES ALL THREE MOTIONS TONIGHT, AND ALSO BECOMES CANADA'S FIRST CAPITAL CITY TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST, ALONGSIDE CITY COUNCILS IN BURNABY, MAPLE RIDGE, BRAMPTON AND MISSISSAUGA, AS WELL AS ALONGSIDE OUR OWN MP FROM THE NWT, MICHAEL MCLEOD, AND ALONGSIDE OTHER NONFEDERAL LEADERS LIKE THE PREMIERS OF YUKON AND PREMIER OF MANITOBA AND THE MAYORS OF EDMONTON, TORONTO, LONDON AND SASKATOON.
NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE SILENT IN OUR WORLD.
NOW IS THE TIME TO SHOW WHO WE ARE AS HUMANS.
[00:30:07]
I HOPE THAT MEANS THAT WE SUPPORT ALL OF THESE MOTIONS, WHICH INCLUDES COMMITTING AS A COUNCIL THAT OUR COMMUNITY DOES NOT AND WILL NOT TOLERATE ANTI-SEMITISM, ISLAMOPHOBIA AND ANTI-PALESTINIAN RACISM.WELL, THAT IS WELL WHAT IS HAPPENING.
TEARS AT OUR HEARTS AND HEADS.
WE CAN'T LET THIS TEAR APART US AS HUMANS OR AS A COMMUNITY.
MY HEAD AND HEART ARE WITH YOU EVERY DAY.
THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR. HENDRICKSEN COUNCILLOR.
MCGURK I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT I'M.
LIKE COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN SAID, THERE'S BEEN, I THINK, MAYBE ACTUALLY OVER 100 AT THIS POINT COMMUNICATIONS THAT COUNCIL'S RECEIVED I JUST I WANT TO KEEP THIS SUCCINCT.
I SUPPORT FOR ALL THREE OF THESE MOTIONS ARE STEADFAST, AND I EXPRESSED LAST WEEK MY BELIEF THAT THE POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY FALLS ON OUR SHOULDERS WHEN FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS ARE SILENT.
WE REPRESENT THE PUBLIC AND WE REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF.
CANADIAN RESIDENTS, AND IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT DOING THEIR PART TO UPHOLD OUR OWN SORT OF AGREED UPON POSITION IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS THAN WE HAVE TO AT LEAST HOLD THEM TO ACCOUNT.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PRESENTED TONIGHT AND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND IF ANYTHING, WE'VE SEEN THAT EVEN THROUGH A TOUGH TOPIC AND DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS, PEOPLE CAN BE RESPECTFUL.
SO THANK YOU I MADE A STATEMENT LAST WEEK THAT I POSTED TO MY FACEBOOK PAGE I WON'T READ THE WHOLE THING AGAIN, BUT I WILL READ AN EXCERPT OF IT THAT I THINK SUMMARIZES FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T READ IT OR HEARD MY THOUGHTS ON THIS.
WITH HER PERMISSION, I'LL SHARE AN EXCERPT WITH YOU FROM WHAT MY WIFE WROTE OUR MP ALMOST EIGHT WEEKS AGO.
AS THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR WHO REMADE THEIR LIFE IN CANADA.
I AM HEARTBROKEN BY THE ATTACKS IN ISRAEL LAST WEEK.
THE SUFFERING OF FAMILIES WHO LOST LOVED ONES ON OCTOBER 7TH, AND THOSE FAMILIES WHO REMAIN HOSTAGES IS DEVASTATING FOR ANYONE WHO STANDS FOR PEACE, JUSTICE AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. YET VIOLENCE, DEATH AND DESTRUCTION DOES NOT JUSTIFY FURTHER VIOLENCE AND MISERY WROUGHT ON INNOCENT CIVILIANS, INCLUDING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE NO MEANS TO FIND SAFETY AND FOR WHOM THE BRUTAL ATTACKS CONTINUE RELENTLESSLY.
WE HAVE TO URGENTLY CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE TO PROTECT CIVILIAN LIVES, TO URGENTLY SAVE CHILDREN.
SO FOR ME TO REITERATE, LIVES ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS CONFLICT MATTER.
IT'S INTENDED TO TELL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS, THEIR SAFETY, AND THEIR FULL INCLUSION IN OUR COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT, THAT ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY MATTER, AND THAT WE ARE A COMMUNITY DEDICATED TO DIPLOMACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS OVER VIOLENCE, AND I TOO HAVE FAITH THAT HUMANITY WILL TRUMP PROCESS. THANK YOU.
ANYTHING FURTHER? COUNCILLOR. COCHRANE.
THANK YOU TO ALL THE PRESENTERS TONIGHT.
YOUR PASSION FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND ITS MEMBERS HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED.
THESE ARE NOT SIMPLE TIMES, AND I HAVE NO SIMPLE ANSWER TO PROVIDE IN REGARDS TO THESE MOTIONS.
I, OF COURSE, AS A CITIZEN, PASSIONATELY WANT AN IMMEDIATE END TO THE VIOLENCE IN GAZA, THE RELEASE OF ALL HOSTAGES, A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION TO THE CONFLICT AND CONTINUED PEACE IN THE REGION FOR AS LONG AS IT WILL HOLD, BUT I'M NOT MAKING MY DECISIONS ON THESE MOTIONS.
AS A CITIZEN OF CANADA, I'M MAKING MY DECISIONS AS A COUNCILLOR OF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE, AND I SEE NO PRESCRIBED AUTHORITY WITHIN OUR BYLAWS OR STATUTE LAW TO PROVIDES OUR CITY GOVERNMENT THE LEGITIMACY TO SPEAK TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DIRECTLY ON ISSUES OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS OR CONFLICTS OUR AUTHORITIES INVESTED.
[00:35:03]
FROM THIS I CONCLUDE.I WILL, HOWEVER, BE SUPPORTING THE SECOND MOTION, AS I SEE THIS AS A REFERRAL TO THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT WHO HOLDS THE JURISDICTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES OVER INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS.
THOUGH INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IS, THE IS PRIMARILY A PURVIEW OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PRESCRIBED IN SUCH CONSTITUTIONAL DOCUMENTS AS THE STATUTE OF WESTMINSTER 1931, INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS HAS TAKEN A MORE AD HOC CONSTITUTIONAL EVOLUTION SINCE THE FEDERATION'S FOUNDING WITH THE BRITISH NORTH AMERICA ACT 1867.
I DO SEE EVIDENCE THAT IN OUR MODERN FEDERATION, THERE IS A PLACE FOR PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES TO HAVE A COMPONENT OF, SAY, WITH INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AND A VARIETY OF AREAS. TO THE EXTENT THAT THE CURRENT MANITOBA PREMIER ALSO HOLDS THE PORTFOLIO AS THE MINISTER OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.
THEREFORE, I'M COMFORTABLE REFERRING THE MATTER OVER TO THE PREMIER OF THE NWT AS OUR MINISTER OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS TO MAKE A DECISION ON HOW THEY CHOOSE TO ADVOCATE IN THIS CONFLICT, WHETHER BY A UNILATERAL DECLARATION AND WRITING, AS THE YUKON PREMIER DID, PASSING A MOTION IN THE HOUSE OR PERSONALLY LOBBYING THE PRIME MINISTER, I DO SEE REASON THAT THEY HOLD THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO DO SO WHILE WE ON THIS COUNCIL DO NOT.
I WILL ALSO BE SUPPORTING THE THIRD MOTION, AS THERE IS PRESCRIBED AUTHORITY FOR MUNICIPALITIES IN THE AREA OF PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THAT BY CONVENTION, IT IS NECESSARY AT TIMES TO DECLARE THAT A COMMUNITY STANDS AGAINST HATE AND INTOLERANCE, THAT KINDNESS, EMPATHY AND RESPECT ARE THE DEFAULT ACTIONS ON HOW WHICH COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHOULD CONDUCT THEMSELVES. THIS IS PURELY A SYMBOLIC GESTURE, BUT NOT WITHOUT WEIGHT, AS BEING WELCOMING INCLUSIVE IS PART OF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE'S CULTURE AND VALUES.
WE SHOULD ALL ENDEAVOR NOT TO BE THE TOWN JERK.
EXPRESSING THAT IS NOT, IN MY OPINION, A BAD PRECEDENT.
IN CLOSING, I FULLY RESPECT WHEREVER MY COLLEAGUES CHOOSE TO STAND IN REGARDS TO THESE MOTIONS.
THERE IS HURT AND THERE IS SUFFERING HAPPENING IN THIS COMMUNITY DUE TO THIS CONFLICT, AND I DEEPLY APOLOGIZE TO ALL IF THIS DECISION HERE HAS MADE AND ADDED TO IT, BUT THERE IS A WAY TO THE OATH WE TAKE TO SIT IN THESE CHAIRS, TO BE GIVEN THESE PLATFORMS, AND PART OF THAT WEIGHT, TO ME, IS TO SEPARATE HOW WE FEEL VERSUS HOW WE THINK, TO CHOOSE REASON OVER PASSION.
COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN SPOKE MORE ELOQUENTLY THAN I CAN, AND MY PERSONAL BELIEFS ALIGN WITH HIS REMARKS I JUST WANTED TO, AGAIN, THANK EVERYONE FOR THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD ON THIS TOPIC IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
YELLOWKNIFE HAVE BEEN THOUGHTFUL AND RESPECTFUL, AND I DEEPLY HOPE THIS NEVER CHANGES.
I'M IN SUPPORT OF ALL THREE MOTIONS.
COUNCILLOR PAYNE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S A TOUGH ONE, AND I'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS PRETTY CLOSE.
I'VE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV FOR SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF ANY WAR.
I THINK THAT IT'S ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING, AND AND LIKE THE GENTLEMAN SAID OVER HERE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHERE HAVE WE COME? HOW FAR HAVE WE COME? YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I DON'T THINK WE'VE COME FAR AT ALL AND MY VIEW ON THIS, MY PERSONAL VIEW IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM MY PROFESSIONAL VIEW AS A COUNCILLOR YOU KNOW, TONIGHT WHEN I GET HOME, I'M GOING TO BE EMAILING THE MP AND EXPRESSING MY MY CONCERNS AND MY HOPES THAT HE'S GOING TO STAND UP AND BRING THIS FORWARD TO THE TO THE PRIME MINISTER.
WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF LETTERS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND A LOT OF THOSE LETTERS HAVE SAID RIGHT IN IT THAT IT'S THEY UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT OUR MANDATE AS A CITY TO BE DELVING INTO INTERNATIONAL ISSUES, AND RIGHT NOW.
LIKE WE HAVE, WE'RE A MONTH BEHIND IN BUDGET.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS ON OUR PLATE AS A CITY, AND I WANT TO I WANT TO STAY IN OUR LANE, AND BUT I RESPECT EVERYBODY'S OPINION WHO ARE VOTING FOR THESE THESE MOTIONS.
[00:40:05]
I WILL BE NOT IN SUPPORT OF THE FIRST MOTION, BUT I WILL BE IN SUPPORT OF THE SECOND TWO I DON'T AGREE WITH ANY HATE IN OUR CITY.SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN COME TOGETHER AS A CITY, AND DESPITE OUR MINOR DIFFERENCES, WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS, AND MY PRAYERS ARE FOR EVERYBODY OVER IN THAT AREA, AND EVERYBODY THAT'S CURRENTLY IN CONFLICT IN THIS WORLD.
SO THAT'S MY OPINION, AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE POPULAR OPINION FOR EVERYBODY, BUT PLEASE RESPECT MY VIEWS.
THIS IS A VERY TOUGH ISSUE AND I KNOW BEING ON COUNCIL FOR MY SECOND TERM, WE CAME ACROSS SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR IN REGARDS TO FLYING FLAGS AND COUNCIL AT THE TIME HAD TO ALSO MAKE A VERY TOUGH DECISION IN REGARDS TO FOREIGN AFFAIRS SO THIS THIS ONLY BRINGS BACK SOME OF THOSE, THOSE MEMORIES AND THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE HAD I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS PRESENTED BUT I WILL BE IN FAVOR OF THE SECOND PORTION AND THE THIRD.
WE HAVE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS THE HEARTBREAKING STORIES AND REALITIES.
THESE ARE NOT DISSIMILAR TO THE HORRIFIC OCCURRENCES WITHIN OUR OWN CANADIAN HISTORY, BUT AS LEADERS OF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE, WE ARE BOUND BY THE CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES ACT, SPECIFICALLY SECTION 12, WHICH STATES WHAT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE AS MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
COUNCIL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING AND EVALUATING THE PLANS, POLICIES AND PROGRAMS OF THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, MAKING THE BYLAWS AND THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, AND ENSURING THAT THE POWERS, DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION ARE APPROPRIATELY CARRIED OUT.
I AM SURE COUNCIL CAN ALL AGREE WE ARE AGAINST RACISM, HATE AND THE UNNECESSARY KILLING OF PEOPLE.
HOWEVER, FOREIGN AFFAIRS ARE NOT WITHIN OUR MANDATE.
AS PRIVATE CITIZENS, WE ARE ENTITLED TO OUR OWN PERSONAL OPINIONS TOWARDS THIS ISSUE, AND I URGE ALL TO WRITE TO YOUR PREMIER, YOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DIRECTLY, AND I'VE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT YOU CAN ALSO DONATE FINANCIALLY TO THESE CAUSES FOR THE CEASEFIRE.
I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE FOR THE MANY EMAILS AS WELL AS THE PRESENTATIONS BY YELLOWKNIFERS.
I KNOW THIS ISSUE HITS MANY RESIDENTS HARD AND I AM NO EXCEPTION.
SO THIS DEFINITELY HITS HARD, AND FOR MYSELF WHEN WE'RE DISCUSSING MANDATES, I DON'T WANT TO HOLD THE NEXT COUNCIL TO THIS PRECEDENCE OF BEING ABLE TO DELVE INTO FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
A LITTLE BIT OF OF LEEWAY WITHIN THIS REALM TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF YELLOWKNIFERS, ON BEHALF OF NORTHERNERS AS THIS IS A VERY DISHEARTENING ISSUE THAT'S HAPPENING.
MERCI. SEEING THAT THERE'S NOTHING FURTHER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS PRESENTED, AND THOSE OPPOSED, AND THE MOTION FAILS WITH COUNCILLOR PAYNE, MYSELF, COUNCILLOR COCHRANE AND COUNCILLOR WARBURTON OPPOSED.
JUST GIVE ME ONE QUICK SECOND HERE COUNCILLOR
[15. Councillor McGurk moves, Councillor ____________ seconds, That the Mayor and Council request the Premier of the Northwest Territories to write a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly to request that the Federal Government call for an immediate ceasefire and halt to violence by both the state of Israel and Hamas; the restoration of basic services including food, water, power, fuel, communications, and medical services to the population of Gaza; the immediate release of all hostages; unhindered access for humanitarian aid for all those in need and to work to ensure the safety of both Israelis and Palestinians.]
MCGURK. I MOVE THAT THE MAYOR.[00:45:03]
SORRY I MOVE THAT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL REQUEST THE PREMIER OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER, JUSTIN TRUDEAU, AND [INAUDIBLE] WHAT'S THAT? [INAUDIBLE] DID I NOT JUST SAY THAT? THAT THE PREMIER REQUEST.OKAY, LET ME TRY THAT ONE AGAIN.
REQUEST THE PREMIER OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES TO WRITE A LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU AND MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS MÉLANIE JOLY, TO REQUEST THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASE FIRE AND HALT TO VIOLENCE BY BOTH STATE OF ISRAEL AND HAMAS.
THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ALL HOSTAGES.
UNHINDERED ACCESS FOR HUMANITARIAN AID FOR ALL THOSE IN NEED, AND TO WORK TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF BOTH ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS, AND DO I HAVE A SECONDER? COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.
OPENING UP TO ANY COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
[16. Councillor McGurk moves, Councillor ____________ seconds, That the Mayor and Council of the City of Yellowknife condemn all acts of anti‐semitism, anti‐Palestinian racism and Islamophobia in our community, and will work to ensure our community is just, safe and welcoming for all.]
I MOVE THAT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE CONDEMN ALL ACTS OF ANTI-SEMITISM, ANTI-PALESTINIAN, RACISM AND ISLAMOPHOBIA IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WILL WORK TO ENSURE OUR COMMUNITY IS JUST SAFE AND WELCOMING FOR ALL.SECONDER. COUNCILLOR FEQUET? ANY COMMENTS? COUNCILLOR MCGURK. I JUST WANT TO CAP THIS OFF, I GUESS, FOR MINE, BEFORE WE MOVE ON FROM THIS TOPIC, BECAUSE THIS WILL BE THE LAST ITEM, I BELIEVE, ON THE AGENDA THAT THIS.
IF IT'S NOT, I HOPE IT IS ALREADY THAT THESE MOTIONS, ESPECIALLY THIS ONE, ARE AGAINST HATRED, AND SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED THAT WERE THE MAJORITY IS COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN STATED, WERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS MOTION, BUT SOME OF THE RESIDENTS WHO WERE CONCERNED WITH THIS MOTION WERE NOT NECESSARILY CONCERNED WITH US STEPPING OUT OF LINE, BUT THEY HAD A FEAR OF OF HATRED, AND SO I WANT TO MAKE IT OBVIOUS OR MAKE IT KNOWN THAT THE STATE OF ISRAEL DOES NOT REPRESENT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OR EVEN NECESSARILY ITS RESIDENTS, AND HAMAS DOES NOT REPRESENT THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY OR NECESSARILY THE RESIDENTS OF GAZA, AND THAT IF THAT IS NOT OBVIOUS THROUGH HOW WE'VE PRESENTED THESE MOTIONS THAT'S MY POSITION AT THE LEAST.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY AND MOVING FORWARD, NEW BUSINESS.
[Items 17 & 18]
A MEMORANDUM REGARDING WHETHER TO APPOINT GEOFFREY THOMAS POTHIER AS A BYLAW OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.COUNCILLOR MCGURK. I MOVE THAT PURSUANT TO SECTION 137 OF THE CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES ACT GEOFFREY THOMAS POTHIER BE APPOINTED AS A BYLAW OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE, AND I READ THE WHOLE THING, AND THAT THE TERMS OF APPOINTMENT SHALL BEGIN ON COMMENCEMENT OF EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE AS A BYLAW OFFICER, AND EXPIRE UPON TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE AS A BYLAW OFFICER.
THANK YOU, AND DO I HAVE A SECONDER? COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN ALL IN FAVOR? AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY ENACTMENT OF BYLAW.
THERE WERE NO BYLAWS FOR THE AGENDA DEFERRED BUSINESS AND TABLED ITEMS. THERE WERE NO DEFERRED BUSINESS AND THERE WERE NO TABLED ITEMS FOR THE AGENDA.
IS THERE ANY DEFERRED BUSINESS OR ANY OTHER TABLED ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR? SEEING NONE.
THERE WAS NO OLD BUSINESS FOR THE AGENDA.
IS THERE ANY OLD BUSINESS FOR THE FLOOR? THERE WERE NO NOTICES OF MOTION FOR THE AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY NOTICES OF MOTION FROM THE FLOOR? THERE WERE NO DELEGATIONS PERTAINING TO ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES.
THERE WERE NO ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES FOR THE AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY ADMINISTRATIVE INQUIRIES FROM THE FLOOR? AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR COUNCIL MEETING.
CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION BY COUNCILLLOR MCGURK.
SECOND BY COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.
ALL IN FAVOR? AND WE CAN BE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.