Dryden City Council has struck down a motion calling for the resignation of Senator Lynn Beyak.
The resolution was defeated 5-2 at a virtual Council meeting Monday.
Councillor Shayne MacKinnon brought resolution, citing disrespectful, divisive and unacceptable comments.
“I find myself repeatedly offended by the conduct of Senator Lynn Beyak and feel a strong sense of duty in bringing this resolution forward,” says MacKinnon.
MacKinnon says “her prolonged belief that her public opinion on Residential Schools was not hateful or hurtful. Her refusal to remove racist letters from her website, even after being removed from Caucus. Being suspended and facing further sanctions.”
MacKinnon went on to say “The fact that the Senator reports herself to be a voice for our community and has publically stated that no racism exists in our region, is not only false, but flies in the face of the Truth and Reconciliation report. Many of us on Council are life-long residents of this community and have witnessed systemic as well as targeted acts of racism. But now I am proud to say that we stand shoulder-to-shoulder in our efforts to reverse those acts and fight racism in Dryden. We have committed to a strategic priority which states ‘Continue to foster positive relationships with Indigenous peoples and neighbouring First Nations communities.”
Others also expressed concern with the comments and opinions of the Senator. However, Councillors Martin MacKinnon and Norm Bush and Mayor Greg Wilson abstained from the vote.
Bush says “This motion has no place at the Municipal Council table. No way, shape or form is this City business and just because Councillor MacKinnon and Councillor McKay want to make it City business and say it should be, doesn’t make it so. Any code of conduct or ethical issues surrounding a Canadian Senator is clearly a Federal government and Canadian Senate issue.”
Martin MacKinnon says “I believe that this is a Federal government issue and should be dealt with by the Federal government. If their way of dealing with it is weak, that’s their problem, they should be fixing the problems they have at their level. I’ll go as far as to say that the Senate has become archaic and should move on too.”
Mayor Wilson says “It wouldn’t really accomplish anything and it’s kind of above my pay grade. This is really a federal issue and I prefer to focus on the affairs of the City rather than discuss these politically divisive matters that really shouldn’t be in our municipal court here.”
Senator Lynn Beak publically apologized for her comments in February just prior to the Senate voting to suspend her for a second time.
