Whitehorse mayor shuts down motion to support Palestine

Tensions were high at Monday's city council meeting in Whitehorse. 

Last week, Coun. Michelle Friesen presented a notice that she would bring forward a motion expressing support for Palestinians.

The motion would have had Mayor Laura Cabott write a letter on behalf of the city to the prime minister and foreign affairs minister expressing solidarity with Palestinians and support for a permanent ceasefire.

That discussion was quickly put on pause after Coun. Kirk Cameron called for a point of order. 

"The purposes of a local government include providing — within its jurisdiction — good government for its community," Cameron said. "That doesn't, in my estimation, no matter how I expand my imagination, doesn't capture an absolute pathetic war on the other side of the planet."

Cameron said the statement would be divisive and breach council's code of conduct.

Residents speak out in support of motion

Bylaw officers in full uniform were stationed outside the council chambers.

During the meeting, a number of Whitehorse residents scheduled to speak on the city's temporary fee-for-service recycling program instead raised the issue of the motion. 

Robin Reid-Fraser began with comments related to recycling, but concluded by talking about the ceasefire motion and recent Israeli attacks on Palestinian refugees in Rafah. 

"Finally, I wish to express my belief that ending a genocide demands efforts from all of us until that genocide ends," Reid-Fraser said. "I sincerely hope that council will move forward with the debate regarding a ceasefire."

Cabott quickly intervened, banging a gavel and calling for the microphone to be shut off. Two other speakers were also cut off when their comments turned to the situation in Gaza. 

Cabott didn't address the motion and the point of order until closer to the end of the meeting. 

"My ruling is that the point of order is well taken, which basically means that as the presiding officer, I accept the point of order raised by Coun. Cameron," she said. "The reasons for that are a couple of points." 

First was the city's municipal act, which states that the jurisdiction of a council is confined to the municipality it represents. The second point was a section which requires council to make decisions that are "in the best interest of the community as a whole." 

Friesen asked for an appeal but was outvoted. All councillors but Mellisa Murray sided with the mayor. 

Yukon NDP Leader Kate White was present at the meeting to support the motion. On social media, she expressed disappointment with the city's decision. 

"Citizens care about the ongoing genocide in Palestine," she wrote. "Why not debate the motion, say your piece and then vote against it? Why stop the motion from getting to that point? What are you afraid of?"

'We're here to support all interests'

Cabott later clarified her reasoning in an interview with CBC. 

"The focus of this council is municipal matters with respect to our citizens here," she said. "I don't think it would be helpful or appropriate to be singling out a particular group of people versus another group of people or religion or culture."

"We're here to represent all interests, all people, all residents, no matter what their cultural or ethnic background is. My view of that motion was that it was [intended] to start separating people out."

Cabott began Monday's meeting with proclamations recognizing the upcoming National Indigenous History Month, Filipino Heritage Month and International Pride Month in June. Whitehorse city council proclamations aim to highlight a variety of causes, including diversity and multicultural awareness.

When asked by CBC if she would consider a proclamation dedicated to Palestinians, Cabott said the Palestinian cause had already been addressed in a proclamation she shared in April.

"Last month I did a proclamation recognizing Jewish Heritage Month, and the same day, I did a proclamation recognizing other cultures and people from Asia, which includes, broadly, people from the Middle East, which would include Palestinians," Cabott said.

Cabott said she recognizes that local Whitehorse-Palestinian residents have been impacted by the violence in Gaza, and that she has heard the strong opposition some in Whitehorse are feeling about the war, but the city is not planning any future steps to address the issue. 

She shared that she met with local Jewish and Muslim leaders "when all of this began" back in October. 

That same month, Whitehorse officially declared Chortkiv, Ukraine, to be its sister city. 

At the time, Coun. Kirk Cameron spoke in support of that motion. 

"We are incredibly influential when it comes to our statement about fairness and human rights around the world," he said. "For us to step up and give our connection and allegiance and statement of support to that community, I think says a lot."