David Yang wasn’t allowed to speak at Monday’s city council meeting after repeatedly interrupting the mayor in an attempt to explain his right to speak.
Mayor Malcolm Brodie told the would-be speaker the first thing he had to learn is when the chair "tells you to stop, you stop."
Yang, however, continued speaking, citing the city’s website, which – apparently mistakenly – said written notification isn’t needed for someone to speak at a council meeting.
The website currently reads that “written notification from the person or organization is not required” if someone wants to be heard at the beginning of a meeting on something on the meeting’s agenda.
Another webpage on the city website, however, does clarify that pre-registration is needed for phone and Zoom participation due to COVID-19 protocols.
Brodie held firm on not allowing Yang to speak.
“Sir, you won’t bully your way into this meeting. Is that quite understood?” Brodie said. “There are rules of procedure and you’re expected to follow them and by interrupting us as you have done is not the way to be heard.”
City clerk Claudia Jesson later clarified to the Richmond News the website “unfortunately” hasn’t been updated to reflect rules put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the need to register in advance.
“Last night was the first time we had a member of the public attend in person and wish to delegate without pre-registering which ended up highlighting the discrepancy on our website,” Jesson explained in an email to the News, adding the city will look at updating its webpages that talk about public delegations.
After repeated attempts from both sides to reiterate their point at the meeting – with Brodie saying Yang needed to stop talking when told to by the chair of the meeting, Yang saying he had the right to speak – Brodie moved on to the next agenda item, supported by the majority of council with Couns. Carol Day and Michael Wolfe in opposition.
Jesson told the News she spoke with Yang after the meeting to clarify the website hadn't been updated, and further told him that he can speak on the agenda item – a development in the Spires Road area – at the public hearing on April 19.
Yang has worked for Henry Yao, MLA for Richmond South Centre, in the past.
