Americans call in to Vancouver council meeting in what mayor says is ‘foreign interference’
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim convened an emergency meeting after a public hearing on the city's villages plan was flooded with calls from the United States. He described the influx of foreign callers as a form of foreign interference and announced plans to seek a charter amendment limiting speakers to Canadians. Police are investigating the calls and may refer the matter to the RCMP.
- ▪Mayor Ken Sim held an emergency meeting with city officials after a public hearing received numerous calls from the United States.
- ▪The villages plan would rezone 17 single‑family neighbourhoods to allow six‑storey multi‑unit buildings.
- ▪Sim called the foreign callers an act of foreign interference and said it could erode public confidence.
- ▪Vancouver police are investigating the calls and could refer them to the RCMP if they meet the threshold for foreign interference.
- ▪The mayor is asking the province to amend the Vancouver Charter so only Canadians can register to speak at public hearings.
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Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim held an emergency meeting with the city manager and police chief on Thursday, after a bizarre public hearing that received many calls from the United States. People from outside Vancouver and even outside Canada called into a public hearing on the city’s controversial villages plan.Councillors grilled the callers on their reason for phoning in and if they had any connection to Vancouver.The plan would rezone 17 single-family neighbourhoods to allow six-storey multi-unit buildings.With the influx of callers, Wednesday’s public hearing went from morning to midnight.“We do not want that democratic institution disturbed or disrupted,” Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said, calling it an act of foreign interference.“Individuals who have no connection to Canada, who have no…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Global News.
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