Springtime and Mayhem in Ukraine

Last week, on international news, we saw Ukraine Parliamentarians throwing eggs and other non-lethal stuff at each other. Similar events have been caught on camera in a Japanese Legislative Assembly.

Members there were climbing over desks and reaching for a throat to throttle.

It doesn't happen under British Parliamentary Rules of Order . The objective there of course is to maintain civility at all costs. As in a court room.

Tuesday night was mayhem in Aurora.It started with Councillor Gallo raising a Question of Privilege.

The Councillor's Question was a letter of mine to an editor which set out how committees are chosen in the Mormac regime.

A Question of Privilege allows a Councillor to object to his motives having been impugned or of being accused of wrong doing during a council debate.

The Question must be raised immediately the offending comment is made, or at the start of the next meeting before any other business has been conducted. Expectation is, the comment will be withdrawn and an apology offered. All very civilized.

Councillor Gallo's Question of Privilege was not apt. I expect he was advised by the presiding Member and her terrible twin, Councillor MacEachern.

Councillor Gallo is earnestly trying to acquire the skills necessary to function with ease in Council debate. Unfortunately, he has chosen the wrong teachers.

It was an evening of repeated similar attempts to call me to task. Councillor Gaertner did something equally inapt

Then there was a letter from Rebbecca Beaton stating my formal motion of request for re-consideration of a previous council decision was shameful.

I've known Rebbecca since she was a toddler.She grew up on my street. Went to school with my children.

There have to be icons in her life. She tags along willing to provide whatever support her patrons may require of her.

When I read her letter, it reminded me of Mister Wilson's conduct before he became a Councillor and after. I had taken the last seat at the table in his second bid for office. Rebecca used to sit beside him in the darkened back row of seating in the Council Chamber.

Wilson would descend to take the podium in public forum and heap abuse on my head, his voice rising to a hysterical shriek as his outrage grew.

The first time he did it I waited for the Mayor to put a stop to it. He didn't. I told the Mayor, no citizen has a right to behave like that in the Council Chamber.

It is disorderly conduct.

He repeated the behaviour.. Again the Mayor did not stop him. I told the Mayor , if you let him do that one more time I will not be responsible for how I will respond.

Next time he started , the Mayor stopped him. But Councillors Vrancic and Keane also thought a citizen had the right to behave that way.

It takes two to start a brawl. Once it starts, there's no telling where it will end.

It was Mayor Morris's turn on Tuesday to insist a citizen has a right to verbally attack an elected representative in a formal meeting of Council within the Council Chamber.

Of course she is wrong. Her ignorance knows no depth.

No-one has that right in a civilized society.

But since this presiding member makes up the rules as she goes along and as it suits her, the options for a Councillor are few.

A brawl is the most likely.

It will not be this Councillor who turns Aurora Council Chamber into a mud-wrestling pit.

Still ....I am not completely without resources.

But Rebbecca Beaton is not likely to be the target.

I suspect the Mayor and her terrible cohort Councillor Evelina MacEachern urged it upon her to write the offending comment.

The attack was personal but not made in person . Rebecca knows me. She might very well expect a vigorous response to a gratuitous insult.

I cannot imagine why anyone would think it's safe to attack this politician in a public meeting.