Closed door LRT meeting

There are questions of legality and disclosure being raised over a closed door meeting between city officials and the province set for tomorrow concerning the future of Hamilton’s light rail transit.

The meeting is scheduled at City Hall for 10 a.m. and will include newly appointed Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca, Municipal Affairs Minister Ted McMeekin, Mayor Bob Bratina and 3 other council members.

But many are wondering why the public is being excluded and if the meeting is even legal.

The meeting is being described as a fact finding mission and a chance to clear the air over confusion surrounding funding of Hamilton’s proposed LRT system.

Proponents of the project like Ryan McGreal of Raisethehammer.org wants to know why they can’t attend.

“This is such an important issue. There’s been so much work done on it. Theres been a huge amount of public engagement The province campaigned on funding for this. Council has spent five or six years going through a process in approving a number of motions in development of a plan which they submitted to the province about a year ago. And this issue should be happening in public. The minister should be meeting with the entire general issues committee which is every member of council.

Ward 4 Hamilton councillor Sam Merulla says there is no reason to keep a public issue behind closed doors.

“All of this really does raise the question, why isn’t this being conducted in a public forum? We’re talking about public officials talking about a public issue in secret.”

Hamilton Mayor Bob Bratina says the meeting is business as usual.

“It’s not an in-camera meeting. It’s a meeting between the mayor and the minister they happen all the time. We should be able to once this meeting is over, have a clear understanding of what their expectations are of us and what we can expect from them in terms of funding. I don’t think we’re going to hear a specific number, we may. But I think it’s an opportunity for us to make our positions clear.

When asked what the chances are the province will commit to funding the LRT, he said he doesn’t know.

The meeting will be followed by a news conference scheduled for around 11:30 a.m.