06/11/2026
To the Mayor and Council of Township of Langley:
Re: Housekeeping Bylaw - reducing 75% vote requirement to simple majority.
The alleged housekeeping bylaws are a sad reflection of a polarized dysfunctional Council. Why this, why now?
When a party or slate that has a majority, they are obliged, at the local government level, to look and go beyond partisan politics and to use logic to ensure simple fairness for all.
The censure of motion provides a tool to hammer non slate members on a partisan basis.
That is why previous councils required 2/3s of Council to agree before any censure of motion was adopted.
These bylaws preserve the ability of Councilors to act in good faith and think and vote independently without fear of reprisal just because they do not have the same view as the ruling party.
Again, why this ... why now?
Have there been censure attempts that we the public are not aware of. If so, we have a right to know what the issues were, what happened, and what the result was.
Otherwise, there is no valid reason to institute drastic changes especially when there are only 4 meetings before the end of the term.
There is an election looming.
The people have the right to be informed and to be confident that differing views will be considered, not just tolerated and certainly not censured.
- Rebecca L Darnell
