CBRM councillor says council needs diversity training to avoid 'unnecessary dramatics'

Acouncillor with the Cape Breton Regional Municipalitysays council may need diversity training to avoid "unnecessary dramatics," after her colleagues questioned her abilities during a debate this week.

"We should probably take some time to reflect on this situation andcome together," said AmandaMcDougall, councillorforGlaceBay-Donkin-AlbertBridge. "Do we need some sort of diversity and equalitytraining? It seems like that would be a pretty good idea."

• CBRM councillor feels demeaned after committee appointment questioned

McDougall was chosen by the nominating committee Tuesday tosit on the Nova Scotia solid waste resource management committee, but some councillors asked the committee to reconsider.

They suggestedMcDougall, who is in her 30s and was elected last October, would struggle with the position, because the workload is significant and the meetings can "get pretty heavy."

'Respectful and safe' debate

McDougallpreviously worked withACAPCape Breton overseeing projects relating to solid waste management, among other matters.

"There areconversationsthat obviouslyhave to be had, opinions that need to be aired, but wehave to make sure that everybody around the table is ready to do thatin a respectful and safe way," she told CBC News on Thursday. "How that comes to be I'm not sure."

• 'We were being scolded': Cape Breton councillors allege they were bullied before port vote

She said she'll request that the municipality's diversity officer speak to council to avoid "this type of unnecessary dramatics in the future."

Though the criticism came from men, McDougall said it was not a gender issue. She said it was "an issue of respect" as well as a clash between long-standing councillors and newly elected ones.

'It's so inspiring'

McDougall said since she told the media she'd felt demeaned and belittled by the debate she's been inundated with emails, social media messages and phone calls from people saying they respect her for speaking out.

"It's so encouraging, it's so inspiring, and it's really made me feellikeit has validated the reason I ran in the first place," she said. "Torepresent people. So I feel like I'm doing my job. Even though somemight not think so."

• Cape Breton regional council's goals for this term

McDougall said she thinks the conversation will lead to something positive: open conversations about what's important to the municipality.

"We cannot keep havingthese petty disputes over such insignificant pieces when there is abigger picture that is the future of the CBRM that we need toconcentrate on."

'Disturbing trend'

Mayor Cecil Clarke said the debate was part of a "disturbing trend" of very aggressive non-parliamentary language, though he said it cuts both ways.

"Suggesting someone's too inexperienced or suggesting someone has too much experience and been around too long, both of them are not appropriate," he said.

Clarke said he would use"strict guidelines" to make sure debates stay on topic and are backed up by facts.

He seemed uninterested in theneed for diversity training, however.

"I think if we abide by the code of conduct we have, then you are automatically being sensitive to the interests and the rights and privileges [of people]," he said.