To clap, or not to clap, is no longer a conundrum for anyone attending city council meetings in Moose Jaw.
The only uncertainty may be in the amount of applause appropriate for the discussion at hand, and whether the speaker has concluded his or her remarks before it is permissible for others to put hands together in clapping format.
City council has voted to amend the decorum bylaw to allow respectful applause or other response to speeches of members or others addressing council. This wording might also allow respectful booing as an interpretation of “other response.” (Any kind of applause was banned last year by a council motion.)
The key is that the respectful response will only be allowed at the completion of statements or presentations in order to avoid interruption or interference of speakers.
In other words, under the new rule, if President Barack Obama had been giving his state of the union address in Moose Jaw’s city council chambers, he would not have received any applause or standing ovations until after his speech had concluded. Under the old rule, no applause or standing ovation would have been tolerated.
The question to be asked might be whether clapping in the gallery is an issue of that much importance, and further, which member of the council chamber is to be responsible for determining the boundaries of respectful and disrespectful applause?
Moose Jaw voters surely have more interest in their taxes and snow removal than in wondering if their applause or other response to council falls within the changing guidelines of a decorum bylaw.
Applause will certainly be forthcoming if this amendment is the last time the decorum bylaw comes up for debate.
