SASKATOON Ward 1 Coun. Darren Hill has lost City Council s nomination to continue to represent the city on the borad of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). Council made the decision at a special council meeting on Monday. Without council s nomination, Hill won t be able to continue to serve his next term on the board of the FCM, an organization that works as a national voice for cities in Canada. During the meeting, Mayor Charlie Clark referenced a letter he said was written to council from the FCM president outlining concerns about Hill s role on the board. The detailed contents of the letter were not revealed, but Ward 7 Coun. Mairin Loewen said the letter referenced concerns about patterns of Hill s behaviour.
A recently proposed private member’s bill that would make it a criminal offence to dump raw sewage in waters frequented by fish was dismissed as a step backwards by environmentalists and opposing MPs.
Bill C-269, proposing changes to the Fisheries Act, was tabled by former leader of the Conservative Party of Canada Andrew Scheer, and underwent second reading May 10.
The proposed changes would basically be a return to the laws under the old Fisheries Act, which were ineffective and rarely enforced, said Mark Mattson, environmental lawyer and president of Swim Drink Fish Canada.
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Saskatoon city council has withdrawn its nomination of Ward 1 Coun. Darren Hill for a position on the board of a national advocacy organization for Canadian cities.
The decision came out of a special council session held Monday evening. Hill accused his council colleagues of “seeming intent on taking away everything” he’s worked towards at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).
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Hill said he’d felt “shunned” by his colleagues since he went public about mental health issues stemming from a brain injury suffered in 2016, coupled with a traumatic last few years that included the loss of a child, the end of his marriage and a COVID-19 diagnosis.
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An initiative that would not only divert a significant amount of waste away from the city’s aging landfill but also assist in lowering energy costs at the wastewater treatment plant picked up steam or rather biogas during Cornwall council’s Monday meeting.
The final co-digestion study report was presented by both division manager of environment Carl Goodwin, and Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA) project manager Indra Maharjan.
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Along with the report and the lengthy presentation that followed it, council was presented with a total of three different options it could take in tackling the provincial government’s soon-to-be-announced all-out ban on organic waste within landfills.
Hill defended his conduct at the federation and said he felt like he was being unfairly targeted. I ve been shunned by my colleagues, who seem intent on taking away everything I ve worked toward, he said. There have been many statements made by members of the public, including the disabled community, who are shocked at the lack of support.
Hill said he is in treatment for a number of issues stemming from a previous brain injury, brain fog after a case of COVID-19, as well as counselling after the death of his son and the recent breakup of his marriage. He submitted documents from his medical team that said he would be able to fulfil his duties.