Speech to St. Catharines City Council Against Banning Public Criticism in Code of Conduct for Committees and Task Forces

 

Hi, I'm Saleh Waziruddin, speaking on behalf of your anti-racism advisory committee.

I'm the committee chair.

The problem with the proposed code of conduct for committee and task force members

is in 5.3 (b) where it says we can no longer publicly criticize staff or council.

Public criticism is in the public interest. If what we say is good enough to advise you or

be on a committee or task force, where our meetings are public, what we say should be

good enough to bring to the public's attention.

This is part of a wider trend we're seeing in Niagara where, in the name of going after

something narrow and specific, we're expanding bans to be sweeping and reducing the

rights of residents.

This section, 5.3(b), says we cannot, and I'm quoting: “Humiliate, berate, belittle or

publicly criticize Staff or Council.” To any reasonable person one of these doesn't

belong with the others. The first three are abusive, but public criticism does not mean

abuse, it's an indispensable and irreplaceable part of any decision-making process.

When this policy was being drafted I asked the same question to the Deputy Clerk:

which of these four does not belong with the others? It was a rhetorical question but to

his credit the Deputy Clerk took the time to explain each of the terms, and on the last

one, public criticism, he wrote, and I'm quoting at length here:

“I agree criticism is valuable and is part of the decision-making process.

But like many things there is a scale that must be accounted for. Saying

something like, “The policy has some shortcomings that I think should be

considered” is criticism in a respectful way and serves as a great way to

have dialogue about finding solutions. Saying something like, “The policy

is terrible and whoever wrote it is an idiot,” is criticism that could be

perceived as crossing a line into disrespectful and distracts from a positive

working relationship.”

That was the Deputy Clerk's response. So even a member of senior staff agrees

criticism is “valuable and a part of the decision-making process.” Just because

something is public criticism doesn't mean it's automatically disrespectful.

In fact the 2019 code of conduct report, for Council as well as committees and

boards, had different wording that was much more specific and precise:

“...refrain from publicly criticizing members of Staff in relation to their

intelligence, integrity, competence or otherwise;”

So this is against personal abuse of individuals on staff. That makes sense to me.

That's already well-covered by the first three terms in 5.3(b). But expanding this

to any and all public criticism is not the same thing and I think most people can

tell the difference.

If joining a committee or task force means we no longer have the basic right to

publicly criticize, a lot of people who believe they have useful and important

things to say won't even apply to join. You'll only attract “yes”-people who are

just here to pad their resumes and looking for a way to make themselves more

acceptable to the rich and powerful, instead of saying things that need to be said

even if they displease the rich and powerful, because they help improve the lives

of the rest of us.

So please take out the sweeping and broad ban on public criticism from 5.3(b) of

the proposed code of conduct for us, the residents who you appointed to advise

you.

Thank you.