Democracy Be Damned as Winnipeg City Hall Muzzles Taxpayers

It was a bad day for democracy at Winnipeg City Hall.

Thirty-six residents took time out of their lives Thursday to speak to city council’s Public Works committee about road safety on Wellington Crescent. They followed the rules, registered to speak, and many made personal arrangements — time off work, babysitters, travel from across the city — just to have five minutes in front of their elected officials.

Instead, they were shut out.

In a move that can only be described as procedural gamesmanship, the committee voted to delay the discussion and silence all delegations until July. Just like that, 36 citizens were erased from the agenda. No apology. No courtesy. No respect for their time.

And for what? Councillors offered vague reasons: “procedural grounds,” “the city is still working,” “you can speak next time.” But here’s the truth — a city councillor is elected to listen to the people. It’s not optional. It’s not something to put off when inconvenient. And it’s certainly not something you suspend with a motion when you don’t like what’s coming.

The silence in the chamber wasn’t passive — it was deliberate.

This is the same city council that already cut public speaking time in half. What used to be 10 minutes is now 5. They no longer allow residents to ask questions. They don’t let you provide evidence unless it’s submitted weeks in advance — unless, of course, it’s an issue the councillors themselves care about. In those cases, like recent four-plex development hearings, they’re more than happy to bend the rules in their favour.

What we witnessed on Thursday was not about bike lanes. It was about control.

A nurse who took the day off work to speak was escorted out by security. Others were told to leave after expressing their frustration. These weren’t agitators. They were taxpayers. They were citizens who believed they had a right to be heard. And they were dismissed — not for breaking rules, but for expecting to speak in a democratic process.

Let’s be clear: holding a public meeting and then cancelling input on a whim is not governance. It’s disrespect. It breaks the fragile trust between people and politicians.

I’ve sat in that chair before. I’ve stayed at City Hall past midnight. Not because I enjoyed it — but because it was my job. Listening to the public, even when it’s uncomfortable or time-consuming, is not a burden. It’s a responsibility. And it’s a basic part of the social contract between elected officials and the people who pay their salaries.

If a private citizen skipped a hearing or refused to show up for a meeting, there would be consequences. Yet councillors, who earn a generous salary for attending just a handful of meetings each month, can disregard public participation without consequence. That’s not right.

Some councillors say the public will have another chance to speak. That may be true on paper, but anyone who has worked a job, raised a child, or taken a bus across town knows how hard it is to get that opportunity again. Taking a day off isn’t easy. Finding childcare costs money. Rescheduling life for a committee hearing isn’t something most people can do on demand.

And if you do manage to show up again? There’s no guarantee you won’t be silenced a second time.

This council may not realize it, but these decisions have long-term effects. People are already skeptical of politics. They’re cynical about backroom deals, developer influence, and bureaucratic excuses. What happened Thursday just adds to that list. It tells people their time doesn’t matter. Their voice doesn’t matter. And worst of all, their presence is a nuisance.

That should worry every single councillor, regardless of where they stand on bike lanes or infrastructure. When public confidence is eroded, policy outcomes suffer. People stop showing up. They stop believing the process works. And when that happens, elected officials stop being accountable to anyone but themselves.

If this council wants to repair that damage, they need to stop playing procedural games and start showing respect. Let people speak. Hear them out — even when it’s hard. Show up. Stay late. Take the heat when it comes. That’s leadership. That’s public service.

Other cities have managed to improve civic trust by doing just that. Calgary introduced stricter rules for council attendance and mandatory responses to public submissions. Edmonton uses a zero-based budgeting model that includes public engagement at every level. These are not perfect systems, but they are rooted in one principle: the public comes first.

Winnipeg should take note.

A councillor is not elected to protect procedure. They are elected to serve people. That service doesn’t end when meetings run long or public comments get passionate. In fact, that’s when it matters most.

City Hall should be a place where Winnipeggers are heard — not herded out the door when it’s politically inconvenient.

This city deserves better. So do those 36 taxpayers who were told, not with words but with actions, that their voices didn’t matter.

It’s not too late to fix that — but it starts with remembering who you work for.