Vancouver City Council has deferred a motion, proposed by Non-Partisan Association councillor George Affleck, to ask Metro Vancouver to broadcast its public meetings.
“I was quite disappointed that they wouldn’t pass a motion that was about accountability,” Affleck said of the January 31 council vote. “This is a $600 million budget, [and] over $100 million of it comes from Vancouver. We need to see what’s going on.”
However, while council’s motion is in limbo, Metro Vancouver already has plans to start broadcasting its meetings by year-end, according to spokesman Bill Morrell.
“Metro Vancouver has, on its work plan for 2012, the broadcasting of board and committee meetings and we are proceeding with that,” he said.
Morrell said that prior to implementing Internet broadcasts of meetings, Metro Vancouver needs to solve some “logistical issues” including questions of Internet bandwidth capacity.
“While we haven’t got a date in mind at this juncture about when this will happen, it will definitely be happening this year,” he said.
Affleck, however, argued that he has heard claims Metro Vancouver would broadcast meetings since the early 1990s.
“The point I was trying to make was to motivate [Metro Vancouver] staff, because they say ‘yes, we’re working on it,’” he said. “They’ve been saying that for as long as I can remember.”
He added that, given the significance of decisions made by Metro Vancouver, time is of the essence.
“I was asked by many people to put this motion forward,” he said. “I want this done tomorrow – not next year or in 10 years.”
Jenny Wagler
@JennyWagler_BIV