Whitehorse mayor shuts down motion to support Palestine

Tensions were high at Monday's city council meeting in Whitehorse. 

Last week, Coun. Michelle Friesen presented a notice that she would bring forward a motion expressing support for Palestinians.

The motion would have had Mayor Laura Cabott write a letter on behalf of the city to the prime minister and foreign affairs minister expressing solidarity with Palestinians and support for a permanent ceasefire.

That discussion was quickly put on pause after Coun. Kirk Cameron called for a point of order. 

"The purposes of a local government include providing — within its jurisdiction — good government for its community," Cameron said. "That doesn't, in my estimation, no matter how I expand my imagination, doesn't capture an absolute pathetic war on the other side of the planet."

Cameron said the statement would be divisive and breach council's code of conduct.

Bylaw officers in full uniform were stationed outside the council chambers.

During the meeting, a number of Whitehorse residents scheduled to speak on the city's temporary fee-for-service recycling program instead raised the issue of the motion. 

Robin Reid-Fraser began with comments related to recycling, but concluded by talking about the ceasefire motion and recent Israeli attacks on Palestinian refugees in Rafah. 

"Finally, I wish to express my belief that ending a genocide demands efforts from all of us until that genocide ends," Reid-Fraser said. "I sincerely hope that council will move forward with the debate regarding a ceasefire."

Cabott quickly intervened, banging a gavel and calling for the microphone to be shut off. Two other speakers were also cut off when their comments turned to the situation in Gaza. 

Cabott didn't address the motion and the point of order until closer to the end of the meeting. 

"My ruling is that the point of order is well taken, which basically means that as the presiding officer, I accept the point of order raised by Coun. Cameron," she said. "The reasons for that are a couple of points." 

First was the city's municipal act, which states that the jurisdiction of a council is confined to the municipality it represents. The second point was a section which requires council to make decisions that are "in the best interest of the community as a whole."