A Rainbow District School Board trustee representing the Manitoulin Island area is speaking out about finding himself without a voice on many of the board's committees for the second year in a row.
Larry Killens said he volunteered for four committees that require a balloting process — the First Nations Committee, the Labour Relations Committee, the Audit Committee and the Equity and Inclusiveness Committee.
However, when it came to the vote Dec. 1, he wasn't elected to any. The only committees he's serving on are the ones that are mandatory.
“I would like to know why that I as a trustee can't take my turn and bring the voice of Manitoulin to one or two of the committees,” Killens said at the board's Dec. 16 meeting.
“I did volunteer for four. I've asked for reasons. I have never been given one by this board.”
Killens said the board has rules regarding equity and inclusiveness, but through his exclusion from many of Rainbow's committees, he doesn't feel Manitoulin is being properly represented.
“If I had done something wrong, offended somebody, talked rudely or been abusive, I could understand, but this is two years now,” said Killens, a veteran trustee who has served with the board for 12 years.
“I haven't got an answer back where I can be faulted with doing something that is unbecoming of a trustee.”
Board chair Doreen Dewar gave a brief reply to his query. “To the best of my knowledge, that's democracy,” she said. “We voted.”
Killens said he accepted her answer. “I'll have to live with it,” he said.
During the board's last term, Killens and another trustee — Robert Kirwan, who became the city councillor for Ward 5 in October — often went against the grain, and were alone in voting for or against certain initiatives.
At times, Killens' propensity to publicly share his opinions has gotten him into trouble with the board's leadership.
Only the board's chair, Dewar, is supposed to speak publicly on behalf of the board, although Killens said he's allowed to share personal opinions.
He told NorthernLife.ca he's been chastised by the board for speaking to the media or writing letters to the editor on at least three occasions, but has only found to be at fault once.