23 Feb 2026 Council meeting Community

Port Theatre motion: amendment to split it into two parts

Motion
That the motion be amended as follows: “That Council 1. Direct Staff to issue a public statement affirming that we stand with marginalized people and visible minorities and reaffirm our commitment to fostering a safe and respectful community; and, 2. Direct Staff to write a letter to the Port Theatre requesting that it review its booking practices to ensure performances align with its stated core values of being accessible, inclusive, and welcoming.” The vote was taken on the amendment.
Minutes, page 8
This vote follows the minutes. The City’s vote record does not list it.
Sources

Procedural vote

City vote record

Erin Hemmens Yes

I'm a bit stuck on this one because this is different than what Councillor Gesebrock shared earlier. It's vastly different. And so I feel like I haven't had time to think about this. But my immediate reaction is the first half absolutely, of course, we've discussed. The second piece writing a letter. I mean, sure. I've had lengthy conversations with the executive director of the port theater about this very issue. And we can absolutely write this letter. But I actually think it's rather benign. Because if the board or the society doesn't. They're booking practices and their policies are theirs to define. And so we can absolutely say, Hey, have a look at them. But they're there to define. So this is actually isn't a very, I don't think it's the strong position that counsel Gesabrol came out with earlier. So, um, I find myself indifferent to dividing them. I'll see how others feel, um, I want to say I'm very strongly in support of the first half and the second half.

Hilary Eastmure No

I said earlier that I think that a statement that we stand with marginalized people invisible minorities is really quite disingenuous if there actually behind that. Um, so that's why I think the second part is crucial as well. Um, my. General sense was that if we were to write a letter to the port about reviewing its booking practices, it would, they would ideally be doing that in partnership with staff to make sure that we're aligned. With city policies and the port just because of that co - management agreement. And the optics of that and, and how that, um, how that actually functions when it. When it comes to contentious issue like this. And I really would like to see more alignment between, uh, port. So there isn't confusion when we have something like this come up. Uh, and, and that there is, um, a practice in place that ensures that the value statement also extends and the respectful spaces idea also extends not just to people attending, but people on stage. You would think that would be obvious, but apparently it's not. So I think, um, that's why I was thinking the letter would be important. And perhaps it's not, um, baked in that staff would be city staff would be part of that.

Leonard Krog Yes

Firstly, singling out the port theater. Because it's a public venue. We might as well be writing to the school board or any nonprofit in this community, arguably, because any unanprofital operates a hall in this community, no, with great respect, uh, as a nonprofit isn't taxed. So they are in a sense indirectly subsidized by the taxpayers. Uh, when you say, uh, you're going to ensure that people like Mr. I won't even mention his name because what he says is disgusting. There's no question about that. That's not the issue for me. There's virtually, and there are indeed no venues in this community.