Request to Speak

INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC
During the Public Input Item of the Commission Meeting agenda members of the public may make a presentation to the Commission if the following requirements are met:
a) Speakers must register in advance by filling out the Request to Speak form which is available online, or by email to the Commission’s office no later than noon on the business day preceding the day of the Commission meeting.
b) Public presentations must be relevant to matters within the Commission’s mandate or pertain to an item on the public meeting agenda. The Executive Director will make this assessment on behalf of the Commission.
c) Complaints about officer conduct, ongoing investigations, or legal proceedings are not topics for this forum and any requests for these matters must be denied by the Executive Director.
d) The request to speak must set out the particulars of the matter and any materials the speakers wish to have distributed to Commissioners should be included.
e) Monthly reports on requests to speak that have not been approved due to topics contrary to these procedures will be submitted to the Commission for awareness. This report will be in private due to personal and other privacy considerations under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
f) The request must include the individual’s name and email address of the person who will speak to the matter and include a confirmation that the speaker has read the rules and expectations of conduct and agrees to abide by them. This personal information is being collected under the authority of Section 33 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and will be used in scheduling you as a speaker before the Commission.

GENERAL RULES FOR PRESENTATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
a) Upon receipt of a request to speak, providing the requirements above are met, the Executive Director will confirm acceptance of the request and will add the names to the speaker’s list for the corresponding public meeting. Presenter names will also appear on the official meeting minutes of the Commission.
b) All public Commission meetings are recorded and any public participation through a presentation to the Commission will be recorded. Members of the media may also be in attendance and are allowed to record for their purposes as well.
c) Requests to make a presentation by a member of the public after the deadline and/or the day of the Commission’s public meeting will be denied for that meeting and the requestor will be offered to book for the next regularly scheduled Commission meeting.
d) Information presented will relate only to the subject matter specified in the written request to speak.
e) The maximum time allowed for any one presenter or spokesperson(s) for on behalf of a group or organization of presenters is limited to five minutes unless there is consent by the Commission by motion formal resolution to extend the allotted time.
f) Members of the Commission will not enter into debate with the person making the presentation and may only ask questions for clarification for up to five minutes.
g) Presenters who pose questions to the Commission will not have their queries answered at the public meeting, however, presenters may wish to follow up through an email to the Commission’s Executive Director at a later date who will assess the correspondence for possible reply.
h) All presenters will conduct themselves in a professional and courteous manner and will obey the rules of procedure or a decision of the Chair.
i) Speakers must also not:
i. Make allegations against or disparage, individual Commission members, Commission or Service staff members.
ii. Make unreasonable or unfounded statements or demands, or otherwise misuse the privilege of addressing the Commission.

NOTE: For agenda and time management purposes, the Commission may decide to limit the number of speakers and/or allot the maximum amount of time the Commission will hear from presenters at a particular public meeting. This decision shall be made prior to the Input from The Public portion of the agenda and shall be made by general consensus by all Commissioners in attendance. The Commission may also consider calling a Special Meeting to be held at a later date for the purposes of hearing from all registered speakers.

CONDUCT OF THE PUBLIC
Public members in attendance at a Commission meeting will not:
a) Address the Commission without permission.
b) Engage in any activity or behaviour that would interfere with the Commission’s deliberations.
c) Engage in conduct that is disruptive.
d) Disobey the ruling of the Chair or Commission for breaching these rules.

BREACH OF RULES OR CONDUCT
The Chair may caution any individual who is in breach of the rules or conduct provisions. If the behavior continues the Chair may declare that their presentation is concluded. The individual or individuals presenting will vacate the presenter’s area immediately.
Any other Commissioner may raise a Point of Order or Privilege if they feel a speaker has breached the rules or conduct provisions and the Chair will make a ruling.