Halifax Media Co-op
News from Nova Scotia's Grassroots
Can you support independent journalists with $5? donate today!
District 14 Councillor Jennifer Watts responds to Nov 11 ONS eviction
Blog posts reflect the views of their authors.
Please add other councillors' responses to the eviction of Occupy Nova Scotia in the comments section.
----
From District 14 Councillor Jennifer Watts
Comments on Occupy NS
I have received many emails from residents who are very concerned and angry with the enforcement of the municipal park bylaw in relation to the Occupy Nova Scotia protest. Many of these concerns include the decision to remove members of Occupy Nova Scotia on Remembrance Day, the right of peaceful protesters to gather, the manner in which the protesters were removed by the police, the costs associated with the police action, the move to evict instead of seeking a legal remedy such as an injunction, the role of council in the decision, and the mixed messages given to the group over the past several weeks concerning their status in HRM parks. I very much appreciate the directness of your comments and the important issues that you are raising in respect to this action.
As someone who has participated in protests and demonstrations over many years I respect the important issues that Occupy Nova Scotia is raising about social injustice and inequity in our society. I appreciate that there are serious questions about the decision and how it was implemented. I am taking these responses and questions very seriously and will raise them with Regional Council.
At the same time, I support the enforcement of municipal park bylaws that do not allow overnight stays in parks or temporary or permanent accommodation without municipal permission. While many may disagree with this decision, I believe that there is the ability and opportunity to protest and publicly speak about issues in our community that respect the current municipal bylaws.
I regret that this situation could not have been resolved differently. It has caused me to think very hard about my role and responsibility as a regional councillor.
I welcome your feedback on this issue. Please email me and copy the Clerk’s Office clerks@halifax.ca so that your comments are shared with Regional Council and are part of the public record.
342 words
Comments
Two faced
Submitted by Anonymous in Halifax (not verified) on Tue, 11/15/2011 - 10:07.
You say "I regret that this situation could not have been resolved differently", but at any time after putting on the show of the mayor getting along and talking with the protestors, did you ever consider an alternative answer with the occupiers that worked for all involved and saved the city this shame and embarrasment?
The city council has shown just how two faced it can be, and watching councillors scramble to do damage control for themselves in the wake has shown no different.
The site for the Halifax local of The Media Co-op has been archived and will no longer be updated. Please visit the main Media Co-op website to learn more about the organization.