What your councillors are doing behind closed doors

Well, it appears your Edmonton City Council has been rather busy adopting agendas and, perhaps more tellingly, meeting in private. On May 6, 2026, Council voted 12 to 0 to meet in private, a motion brought forward by Councillor T. Parmar. This was "pursuant to sections 20, 26, and 29 of the *Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act*," which translates to discussions potentially harmful to personal privacy, intergovernmental relations, and receipt of advice from officials.

A quick look at the details:

* **Public vs. Private:** Councillor K. Tang actually moved a motion to meet *in public* on May 6, but the result is unrecorded. Immediately following, Parmar's motion for a private meeting carried unanimously.

* **Intergovernmental Updates:** A subsequent motion to keep the verbal report on intergovernmental updates private also passed, 13 to 0, moved by Councillor A. Paquette. This means discussions regarding our city's dealings with provincial or federal governments remain out of public view for now.

Honestly though, it’s not entirely surprising. Some conversations, especially those concerning delicate intergovernmental negotiations or personal privacy, do require a certain discretion. The question, as always, is where that line truly sits.

What to watch for next is how these "private" discussions manifest in public policy down the line. Edmonton doesn't need your approval. Never did.

Darren Fedoruk (@deepnorth_yeg)

My guy Keith and the gang are probably already dissecting this over coffee – mornings.live is where you want to be.