Niagara Falls councillor facing assault charge speaks at meeting, advocates silenced

Things got a little heated at a Niagara City council meeting Tuesday after advocacy groups concerned with Bill 9 say they were denied a chance to speak about the legislation once again.

This follows a meeting in June when three women were briefly detained for holding signs in the gallery that read “the women of Ontario say no.”

Under the proposed Bill 9, also known as the Municipal Accountability Act, councillors are not required to give up their seat if they are charged or convicted of a criminal offence.

St. Catharine’s councillor Haley Bateman and other advocates are pushing for legislative reform to change this.

On Tuesday they tried to speak during the council meeting, and that’s when things escalated.

City staff are expected to put together a report on the policy around signs in council chambers.

However, advocates say it’s too late.

The Canadian Constitution Foundation says they don’t know what will come from this report but they previously sent a letter to the city to voluntarily repeal the policy and if the city doesn’t they’ll take legal action in the coming weeks.

WATCH MORE: Three women arrested in Niagara Falls for protesting city councillor charged with abuse