Hear ye, hear ye! A proclamation by the City of Victoria does not mean endorsement!
Victoria councillors have agreed to a proclamations policy that will include a disclaimer statement on proclamations indicating council is simply “fulfilling a request.”
For years council has had no formal policy on proclamations, essentially rubber-stamping most proclamation requests that came before it. Proclamations that propagated hate or were commercial in nature were not allowed.
But, city staff say, human rights tribunals in B.C. have ruled that municipal councils “may not decline requests for proclamations. As such, proclamations can be viewed as simply fulfilling a request versus endorsing any particular event or organization.”
While some Canadian cities have stopped issuing proclamations, no other Canadian capital has, says a staff report.
Victoria council began to revisit the policy last year after its proclamation of International Blasphemy Rights Day raised more than a few eyebrows.
Coun. Charlayne Thornton-Joe recommended including a disclaimer indicating proclamation does not mean endorsement.
“If it’s clear that we are supporting the request and receiving for information but not personally endorsing each one, I think for me that would give me more comfort.”
Coun. Chris Coleman said while most applicants request proclamations as part of a celebration of their event, there will be instances where some applicants will use proclamations that are initially benignly worded, as a “a political stick” to be later turned around and used against council.
Under the revised policy, requests for proclamations have to be made through an online form and include the name of the sponsoring organization, proposed dates of the proclamation and its proposed text. Applications will be reviewed by councillors sitting as a committee of the whole before being put on the council agenda.
