Examples of democracy in action were in full view at this week’s Timmins council meeting.
Councillor Joe Campbell exercised his democratic right not to participate in voting on all resolutions, following adoption of the 2019 budget. That was his protest against the rest of council not agreeing to add $100,000 to the $73-million budget for an accessible washroom in the airport departure area
“I’m very passionate about persons with disabilities,” Campbell told My Timmins Now Dot Com, “and right now, we don’t have (a washroom) in the departure area at the Victor Power Airport where a person that’s in a mobile device can actually go in to the washroom before their flight. If the flight is delayed, they’re sitting there having to ask somebody to go (with them). That’s not acceptable to me.”
He says when the majority of his fellow councillors blocked his attempt to add the money to the budget, they were also exercising a democratic right.
“This is what democracy is all about. But am I disappointed? Certainly. Was it my way of protesting by not raising my hand? It was a small way of saying I didn’t agree with the decision. They (all the resolutions) were all going to pass anyway, so it didn’t really matter.”
Campbell vows to be back with his campaign to build the washroom.
