Female CBRM councillors say they don't need apology for 'sexist' comments
Council to get parliamentary and diversity training Wednesday morning
Two female Cape Breton Regional Municipality councillors said they don't need a council apology after comments some construed as sexist and inappropriate were made late last month.
Coun. Kendra Coomes raised a point of privilege in council saying she, Coun. Amanda McDougall and Coun. Earlene MacMullin were owed apologies after comments were made regarding McDougall's qualifications to be on the solid waste committee on Jan. 24.
Mayor Cecil Clarke said he wrote letters to the female councillors, asking whether they would like an apology.
Parliamentary training
In a letter back to the mayor, MacMullin says she reviewed the meeting and — while she didn't like or agree with some of the statements made — she couldn't say the language used was sexist, inappropriate or unprofessional.
MacMullin said she resolved issues she's had with individual councillors, personally, and says she looks forward to parliamentary and diversity training scheduled to happen Wednesday.
McDougall — who was eventually approved to be on the solid waste committee — said in her letter to the mayor she appreciated Coombes speaking up, but did not agree her colleagues used sexist comments against her.
McDougall ready to move on
McDougall said she reviewed conversations about her wanting to be on the solid waste disposal committee and she said she wants to move forward.
She also mentioned some of her fellow councillors had apologized if she was offended by what they said.
A great deal of positivity came from the day, McDougall wrote to the mayor, including an increased level of openness and commitment to healthy working relationships, assurance any remaining or underlying issues would be addressed and a boost of interest from the public into what goes on at council.
Plenty of public interest
Coombes said the only reason she raised a point of privilege was because people kept asking her about it.
"I couldn't walk into a grocery store without it being discussed because people were wanting an apology from council about what happened and that was the reason I brought it forward," Coombes said Tuesday night.
During the Jan. 24 meeting discussing McDougall being on the solid waste committee, Coun. Clarence Prince told council that the workload for committee member was significant, and "It's a very important position to be on and you really got to work your way up."
Coun. Eldon MacDonald also said McDougall — who has only been a councillor since October — hadn't been a member of council for long and that the committee work can sometimes get "pretty heavy."