By Dominic Abassi

Numbers show Nanaimo council spending more time “in-camera”

Aug 3, 2016 | 1:36 PM

NANAIMO — Governing with transparency.

It was a common theme mentioned by most candidates running for Nanaimo council during the 2014 municipal election.

But numbers from the city’s legislative services department show this current council is spending a lot of time in meetings that are closed to the public.

The legislative services department reports council went “in-camera” for 42 meetings in 2015.

The average number of closed meetings between 2012 to 2014 was 34.

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Mayor Bill McKay says he doesn’t believe this current council is spending too much time away from the public eye.

“I don’t believe so. Every time we make a determination whether or not to go in-camera, it’s always done by a vote of council and many times it’s debated,” said McKay.

Nanaimo council has gone in-camera for 21 meetings so far this year.

McKay says aside from items that they are obligated to discuss in private, there are times when it’s actually advantageous to debate issues behind closed doors.

“There are certain items and issues that you want to go in-camera for, at least for the first discussion of the item, and then bring them out into the open forum.”

Those views are not mirrored by at least one Councillor.

Gord Fuller says it’s a very good question why this group is spending so much time behind closed doors.

“That would be a question better asked of administration, because they’re the ones, with the mayor, that set the agenda,” said Fuller.

Fuller referenced two sections of the Community Charter. Section 90(1), which relates to issues that may be closed to the public, and section 90(2), which pertains to issues that must be closed to the public.

“When I see the reason for going in-camera as all sections from 90(1) and then when I see what the items are, I find it totally bizarre that a lot of these items are going in-camera.”

In his personal opinion, Fuller believes this council is spending too much time in-camera, noting he’s routinely voting against recommendations to move the meetings in private.

“There are certain things you want to go in-camera for, you should go in-camera for. Staffing issues, legal issues, employment issues, certain land issues as well. But the vast majority of stuff I see us going in-camera for, I don’t believe we should be.”

McKay points out that this council seems very eager to rise and report information to the public as soon as possible, which he would suggest is not the norm.

However, Fuller has issues with that process as well.

“How much really gets reported? If you see the minutes for in-camera meetings, there’s not a lot of information in the minutes.”

While council and the city have stated numerous times their commitment to releasing in-camera minutes in a timely fashion, the information on their website is anything but current.

On May 12, about a month behind schedule, minutes for 18 meetings were released. They covered meetings between November 2, 2015 and January 25, 2016.

No more meeting minutes have been released since.

Stats provided by the city of Nanaimo’s legislative services department:

Number of “in-camera” meetings:

2012 – 37

2013 – 30

2014 – 35

2015 – 42

2016 (through July 25) – 21