Article content
An audience member was escorted from the Edmonton city council chambers on Wednesday following an outburst during an update on supporting vulnerable Edmontonians during the winter.
“This administration doesn’t even care about human life, it seems,” shouted Judith Gail from the audience.
At Wednesday’s meeting, councillors heard a verbal update on how the city is dealing with vulnerable Edmontonians. It included statistics about houseless encampments and looked ahead to what the city is prepared to offer over the coming winter months to support vulnerable Edmontonians.
Article content
Gail had requested to speak to council about the agenda item, but Mayor Amarjeet Sohi declined, saying that “at council, we don’t hear from members of the public.” Public input is reserved for committee meetings.
When Ward O-day’min Coun. Anne Stevenson, questioned staff about its criteria for encampment removals, the answers were not to the satisfaction of Gail, who began to speak in chambers.
Thinking that the Gail was in need of medical assistance, Sohi asked security to help her by offering medical support, at which point she began to verbally criticize the city for what Gail said was a disregard for vulnerable Edmontonians.
“I’m having a hard time breathing because loss of life is very evident here,” Gail said before Sohi interrupted her and security approached.
“These are real human beings, and they deserve to be hear,” shouted Gail as she stood and began climbing the stairs while being escorted out by security. As councillors and the audience waited in silence for the person to be removed before continuing, Gail’s fading shouts of “it’s disgusting” could be heard as she exited the circular hallway back into the main room in Edmonton’s city hall.
Article content
Gail had already been warned by the Sohi following a previous outburst.
As staff recounted its efforts to support Edmonton’s vulnerable community, they said they had heard various stories of grateful people who took advantage of the support after numerous offerings.
“Recently one such individual shared with our team that they are now in transitional housing,” said city staff in the presentation.
“One,” questioned Gail from the audience incredulously.
Her words were met with a warning from Sohi, who reminded all audience members to stay quiet during the meeting and not to verbally react to the discussion.
She didn’t resist when security escorted out of the room after she spoke for a second time,
According to the city staff report, Homeward Trust’s By Name List updated on Aug. 20 shows “2,259 folks are provisionally housed, 1,026 are sleeping unsheltered and 726 report using shelters.”
Recommended from Editorial
Share this article in your social network
