Port Moody endorses voluntary civic dialogue guide after months of debate over election conduct

After rocky beginnings, Port Moody council has unanimously endorsed a new set of voluntary guidelines aimed at encouraging respectful public debate and reducing the impact of misinformation and toxic online discourse ahead of election season.

Council voted unanimously on June 16 to endorse the Guidelines for Respectful Dialogue and Civic Discourse, a document developed over five months by a mayor’s task force established in January to promote integrity, transparency and respectful communication among elected officials, election candidates, and residents.

“As mayor, I want to emphasize the vital role that collaboration and good governance play in the success of our community,” Mayor Meghan Lahti said. “In a world where challenges can often divide us and where toxic online culture, misinformation and disinformation can prevail, it’s through partnership and mutual respect that we can find common ground and drive positive change in our community.”

The initiative was met with criticism when it was first announced in January. Lahti appointed Coun. Haven Lurbiecki to chair the Public and Social Media Communications Guidelines Task Force, but Lurbiecki initially declined the role, saying she was concerned the project could be politicized or used to discourage legitimate criticism by labelling it misinformation.

She also questioned the appointment process and unsuccessfully requested the task force meetings be livestreamed.

Despite those early concerns, Lurbiecki ultimately agreed to chair the committee, which met four times between February and June with four councillors and three community members to develop what became a voluntary resource guide rather than an enforceable code of conduct.

Lurbiecki said the final product focused on having a “positive community-focused approach.”

“It’s not an enforcement tool, not a code of conduct for candidates, and not an attempt to regulate political speech,” she said. “It’s quite the opposite, actually. It is intended to support people hoping for tips on how to have robust and respectful free speech.”

The final guidelines encourage candidates, elected officials and residents to focus discussions on issues rather than individuals, verify information before sharing it, respond calmly to misinformation by linking to official city sources. It cautions readers to know when to step away from unproductive online arguments and remember that campaign comments can influence working relationships after an election.

Coun. Kyla Knowles said she was surprised by how restrained the final recommendations were.

“It felt very tame to me,” she said. “But to be fair, at the same time, I feel like a lot of this should have been common sense, and yet here we are.”

Knowles asked whether the task force had considered asking candidates to voluntarily sign a pledge committing to the guidelines.

Lurbiecki said members discussed the idea but concluded developing an official city pledge was beyond the task force’s mandate. Instead, the guide points candidates toward existing voluntary initiatives, including the national Elect Respect campaign.

Knowles said she hopes candidates choose to embrace the principles anyway.

“I personally pledge to abide by it, and I hope others do,” she said. “It would be nice to call something other than ‘silly season’ going forward.”

She also encouraged the city to promote the guidelines publicly and invite candidates to voluntarily sign on.

Task force vice-chair Coun. Samantha Agtarap described the final document as the product of extensive collaboration, saying committee members revised and refined multiple drafts before reaching unanimous agreement.

“There were numerous things we didn’t always agree on all the time,” she said. “People provided their input, the committee talked about it and synthesized it.”

Agtarap noted the guide will be included in candidate orientation packages and said she hopes both candidates and current councillors make use of its practical resources.

“I hope that this is a learning document for all of us.”

Coun. Amy Lubik said many of the resources came from the Strong Cities Network, which helps municipalities respond to polarization and anti-government harassment.

“It’s not about silencing anybody,” Lubik said. “It’s about how do we have productive conversations, because everyone’s ideas are important.”

Coun. Diana Dilworth praised both the volunteer residents and councillors who participated in the task force, saying the committee deliberately shifted away from judging people’s behaviour and instead focused on encouraging positive civic dialogue.

“There was a lot of editing, and oh my gosh, a lot of wordsmithing,” she said. “At the end of the day, we’ve got a really good document.”

Coun. Callan Morrison said he appreciated the guide’s emphasis on linking to official city information so residents can review facts for themselves.

“Those links are so key,” he said.

Closing the discussion, Lahti thanked Lurbiecki for ultimately agreeing to lead the task force despite her initial hesitation.

“I know Coun. Lurbiecki was a bit reticent at the start to be part of this,” Lahti said. “I’m so happy that you took on the role of chair.”

Lahti said the taskforce was never intended to police political speech.

“I thought we shouldn’t really have to outline what common sense and civil dialogue should look like, but apparently we did,” Lahti said, noting the report references numerous examples from municipalities and organizations across Canada.

“The aim was to cultivate an atmosphere where all voices can be heard, fostering understanding and cooperation among our diverse community,” she said.

“I believe that effective governance is rooted in the ability to engage in meaningful conversations where differing opinions and perspectives are not only welcomed but valued.”