(Wingham, North Huron) North Huron’s response to a Charter challenge exposes an oppressive view of local democracy: citizens may watch government, but only on government’s terms.
In its August 10 factum, the Township defends banning independent cameras, excluding citizens and media from council chambers, issuing trespass notices and having police remove and arrest them.
North Huron argues that open-meeting laws do not give citizens a right to attend council meetings in person—or even to participate. According to the Township, watching its official livestream from home was an adequate substitute.
That is not meaningful democracy. It is government-controlled access, government-controlled footage and government-controlled participation.
The Township also argues that council chambers may be a location where certain expression falls outside Charter protection. In effect, North Huron claims citizens can have fewer expressive rights inside the very room where elected officials exercise public power.
Its position on journalism is equally disturbing. The Township dismisses Hill and Carther’s journalistic purpose and argues that its own official recordings were sufficient. Apparently, North Huron believes government should decide who qualifies as media and that the government’s camera should be the only trusted witness.
North Huron repeatedly insists the trespass notices were not issued to stop online criticism. Yet its factum relies extensively on articles, satire, videos and social-media posts to justify excluding the applicants. The message is unmistakable: criticize officials too effectively online and that speech may be used to rationalize removing you from municipal property.
Now, after changing its recording bylaw and waiting for the six-month bans to expire, North Huron asks the court to dismiss the case as “moot”—without deciding whether the Township violated the Charter.
That is a dangerous escape route: restrict rights, enforce the restriction with police, let it expire, and then argue that judicial scrutiny is unnecessary.
North Huron calls its conduct measured. Its own court filing reveals something else—a police-state-like vision of municipal government in which officials control the room, the cameras, the questions and access to democracy itself.
The allegations against Hill and Carther remain contested and have not been accepted as findings of fact. Their Charter application is scheduled to be heard Wednesday, August 19, in Goderich.
North Huron Council Contact Info:
Paul Heffer
280 Manor Road
(519) 357-3594
[email protected]
Mitch Wright
63 Bristol Terrace
(519) 357-9497
[email protected]
Lonnie Whitfield
94 John St. West
(226) 222-2585
[email protected]
Anita van Hittersum
84012 Hoover Line
(519) 523-4492
[email protected]
Chris Palmer
39331 Belfast Road
(519) 357-3385
[email protected]
Kevin Fascist Falconer
303 King Street
(519) 955-0301
[email protected]
Ric McBurney
202 Thuell St, Blyth
(519) 441-7415
[email protected]