Halifax mayor scolds councillor for charity ‘conspiracy theories’
A debate Tuesday about installing kindness meters in Halifax devolved into a heated exchange between the mayor and a councillor who he accused of citing conspiracy theories.
The proposal, to have staff start the process to buy parking meters that can be used to collect charitable donations, passed in Halifax regional council nearly unanimously on Tuesday, with Coun. Richard Zurawski casting the sole ‘no’ vote in the first of two in a three-part motion.
The third part, to negotiate for the money raised to go to the United Way Halifax, passed 14-3.
A few councillors raised issues with the United Way, wondering aloud about CEO pay, and how much of the money it collects actually reaches those in need.
But no councillor had more issues than Zurawski, who accused the charity of profiting off of poverty.
“It’s big, big business,” he said in council chambers.
Zurawski then listed off a few fraud scandals from the 1990s before Mayor Mike Savage shut him down.
“We’re here to debate and to discuss, not to do conspiracy theories,” he said.
“I would encourage you just to be a little bit careful about your conspiracy theories about large organizations that really have no relevance to what we’re talking about here today.”
“If an organization has questionable practices I think it behooves us to be able to speak to those things,” Zurawski said. “And I do take umbrage with your terminology towards me, that I’m pointing out conspiracy theories.”
Savage noted that the cases Zurawski cited had nothing to do with United Way’s Halifax branch, and urged him to get back to the task at hand.
“I think what you’re talking about is damaging and not relevant to the conversation we’re having today, which is about kindness meters and specifically around United Way of Halifax,” he said.
After council’s vote, municipal staff will start negotiations with United Way Halifax, and the kindness meters will be installed in summer 2018.