Richmond Hill council votes against O Canada at meetings

Torontosun.com
May 12, 2015
By Maryam Shah

A majority of Richmond Hill’s municipal politicians have shot down a call to start council meetings with a rendition of O Canada.

“It’s a difficult time for Canada,” Councillor Greg Beros said on Tuesday. “How disappointing.”

Richmond Hill council voted 5-4 on Monday night against including the national anthem at the start of its meetings.

Beros called for the inclusion of O Canada during a debate on how to start council meetings.

Council opted for the recitation of a statement that addresses the roles and duties of Richmond Hill’s municipal politicians.

“We need to pause, we need to remember what an amazing country this is, and how this level of government is allowed to exist because of men and women that fought for this great country,” argued Beros.

Mayor Dave Barrow said the issue at hand was not about Canada’s anthem.

“We determined that the statement was the most appropriate means to begin a council meeting,” he explained. “I doubt there’s any council that plays the national anthem.”

Out of seven GTA municipalities randomly surveyed on Tuesday, only one - Toronto - begins council meetings with O Canada.

Vaughan, Markham, Newmarket, Pickering, Mississauga, and Ajax do not begin meetings with the national anthem.

Richmond Hill councillors who voted against the inclusion of the anthem cited concerns about legal implications of introducing it to council meetings.

“Through much discussion that we had, and specifically because we had some legal advice, I did not believe that O Canada was the appropriate manner in which to open our ... meetings,” Councillor Karen Cilevitz said.

Insisting she’s a “proud Canadian,” Cilevitz said she would sing the anthem “any time.”

“I felt (the statement) was far more inclusive at the municipal level,” she added.

The question of how to begin meetings was raised in light of a recent Supreme Court decision that doesn’t allow municipalities to begin meetings with a prayer.

Here is the statement that will be recited at the start of Richmond Hill council meetings:

“Tonight, council comes together as representatives of our town to conduct the town’s business. We are glad to be joined by our many engaged citizens, both at home and with us here in council chambers tonight. May we use this time to hear from our residents; respond to the reports by the professional staff who inform us; and make fair and responsible decisions in the best interests of our community.”