Norwich, Ont. councillor resigns after township officially bans all non-civic flags – London | 24CA News
A councillor within the township of Norwich, Ont., has resigned after council voted to enact a controversial bylaw forbidding non-government flags, together with Pride flags, on municipal properties.
Ward 2 Coun. Alisha Stubbs introduced her fast resignation Tuesday evening in protest of the council’s determination to assist the bylaw on the finish of the assembly within the rural southwestern Ontario group situated east of London.
“I refuse to participate in this any longer, to the dog whistles and blatant discrimination, and to the hypocrisy of decisions made for peace while many citizens feel fear,” mentioned Stubbs in her resignation as she packed her possessions.
“Use your power for good,” she continued.
“When you hear of people in our community that feel unsafe, believe them. Just like you always believe the people who say that the roads are a mess. Be the helpers. Use your power in these positions to instill change. Be courageous to challenge the status quo, kindness and compassion and knowledge save lives. Read more, learn more and then do better.”
The controversial debate first drew in giant opposing crowds from throughout Oxford County to council’s assembly chambers final month. Amid boos from these current within the public gallery, council voted 3-2 Tuesday to approve the flag ban, with Mayor Jim Palmer breaking the tie.
Speaking with Global News on Wednesday morning, Stubbs mentioned that she had her resignation speech ready previous to the council’s ruling.
“I had a pretty good idea where three of the councillors, including the mayor, stood and so I had prepared because what I’m not prepared to do is share a space with people of power that make decisions in ill faith,” she mentioned.
She added that she is extraordinarily dissatisfied by a few of the selections made by her now-former colleagues.
“The entire job of council is to work for the community and when you pander to one group, and you don’t work for the community, you’re not doing your job,” mentioned Stubbs, describing what the previous couple of weeks have been like for these in the neighborhood.
“We know that this is not a new issue for Norwich [and] that bigotry has run strong here since the beginning of time. But what happens is that when these things come to light, and when you have people in power, some of the most powerful people in the township, to make decisions, acting and pandering to groups who base a lot of decisions on bigotry, the sense of the community is one of trauma.
“With the majority of council having the inability to take research and factual information into consideration about these things, the next steps which are already in motion are you know from community members reaching out to the Integrity Commissioner,” Stubbs mentioned.
The controversial determination has been met with immense backlash from LGBTQ2 group supporters, pushing Tami Murray, president of the Oxford County Pride Committee, to file one other Ontario human rights criticism.
“Now that the bylaw is written, we will be making another complaint because this is ridiculous,” Murray advised Global News Wednesday,
Stubbs mentioned that “at this point, many people are left with only being able to go the legal route, because all the other routes have been unsuccessful.”
Murray added her frustrations in the direction of the not too long ago handed movement.
“If you watch the council meeting, it was sadly chaotic,” she mentioned. “This bylaw has so many loopholes and the unfortunate event at the end of it is the loss of Alisha Stubbs as a councillor. We’re really disappointed and we’re really hoping that given the feedback that they’ve gotten, which has been enormous to support the pride flags, they’re still deciding to be discriminatory and homophobic.
Murray added that she agrees with Stubbs’s decision to region, saying that “given the context of what she’s been through recently, ethically, I don’t think that she can stand with this township Council given the bias and discrimination demonstrated.”
“It was clear last night when Mayor Palmer wanted to defer the bylaw again for further legal consultations, and when Alisha (Stubbs) pointed out that if they delay it we will be able to hang pride progress flags throughout the month of June, they promptly said they needed to vote on it tonight,” she mentioned Tuesday. “They’re really showing their cards at the end of the day. This is not about anything but a progress Pride flag.”
Only federal provincial and municipal flags are allowed to be flown underneath the brand new bylaw because it states that “the township has an obligation to maintain neutrality.”
Besides authorities flags, the one different banners allowed to be put in on township property, together with streetlight poles, are these selling downtown companies and downtown beautification.
Ward 1 Coun. John Scholten first proposed the bylaw earlier this 12 months, saying that he believes civic flags greatest signify all teams of individuals.
While Stubbs argued Tuesday that the bylaw unfairly targets satisfaction flags and symbols, different councillors countered that the bylaw must be accepted on the grounds of political neutrality.
“We just want to stay politically, religiously and culturally neutral,” mentioned Ward 4 Coun. Adrian Couwenberg, who voted to assist the movement.
Initially, a portion of the bylaw acknowledged that the municipality’s junior and minor hockey groups can be allowed on the group centre and an exemption would even be made for flags of international dignitaries. However, all councillors took concern with the part, eradicating it earlier than the ultimate vote.
Along with Stubbs, Ward 3 Coun. Shawn Gear additionally voted in opposition to the bylaw, expressing his issues that this may “open the floodgates” for Norwich and the way the group will probably be perceived going ahead.
“By doing this we also open ourselves up to losing sponsorships and potential funds because their [businesses’] values don’t align with ours,” he mentioned. “We need to find a better direction here.”
Additionally, Gear questioned the particular phrasing of the bylaw, questioning if those that put yard sale indicators or small business advertisements on township property will probably be fined.
“Say I’ve got a child that goes out and wants to advertise grass cutting and they put up a banner on a local street pole. Does that then open up him or her up for a potential charge for not following the bylaws?”
Neither the mayor nor different council members have been in a position to reply the query.
Following the choice to exclude Pride and different non-civic flags from being flown on metropolis property, council additionally voted final month in opposition to a movement that might proclaim June as Pride month within the municipality starting this summer season.
Despite that, the broader county that Norwich is a part of mentioned it isn’t following within the township’s footsteps, vowing to take the alternative strategy, in line with Oxford County Warden Marcus Ryan.
Going again to Stubbs, she mentioned that whereas her days with council could also be over, she hopes that her time will encourage future change.
“One person doesn’t change the world, and so I think that when we can all make little dents, whether it’s my seven months of council that makes a little dent, or folks having Pride marches, or hanging a progress flag, they may seem little on their own [but] together create some big change,” she mentioned.
