Vexed Bermoothes

For years, the Corporation of Hamilton has claimed it cannot open its meetings because the aldermen and councilors do not have libel protection under the archaic law that assigns them management of the municipality.

That excuse wore out a long time ago. The solution is simple:

1. Open the meetings and publish the minutes on the Internet.
2. Don’t libel anyone. Doh!
3. Propose your own changes to modernise the Municipalities Act 1923 before someone else does it for you.

City councils around the world work with open meetings – most without any special libel protection. Stop making excuses.