Your city leaders want to ban people from meetings

Morning from the Interlake — here's what's happening in Selkirk today.

You know, it's one thing to have a lively debate at a city council meeting, especially when folks are passionate about something happening in their neighbourhood, maybe down by Selkirk Park or up on Manitoba Avenue. But now, rural municipal leaders are pushing the province to change the law so they can actually ban people from public meetings. They're saying things are getting too heated, too threatening, and that current rules don't give them enough power to keep order.

### What This Means for Selkirk

This isn't just about some far-off rural municipality. It's about how our own city leaders in Selkirk could potentially manage public input. Imagine you're at a meeting, trying to speak your mind about a new development near the Gerdau mill or a change to the Red River floodway, and the mayor or a councillor decides your voice isn't welcome.

* This proposed change would give municipalities the power to remove and even prevent people from attending future public meetings.

* It raises questions about free speech and public access to local government, something we value here in Selkirk, a city that’s always been about its own strong identity, not just being an extension of Winnipeg.

* Local councils are meant to be where the community's concerns, big or small, can be aired directly.

For a place like Selkirk, which has always prided itself on its independent spirit and civic engagement, the idea of limiting who can speak at public forums feels a little… unsettling. We're a community built on direct talk, whether it's about the pickerel run or the future of our local businesses. It's important to keep an eye on how these discussions at the provincial level could impact our own city hall and our ability to hold our elected officials accountable.

Nolan Chicken, MiTL Sports Desk, Selkirk.

You can hear more about what's stirring in the Interlake every morning — tune in live at mornings.live.