Letters to the Editor

Wednesday 22 February 2012

Local citizen frustrated with MLA Brian MacDonald's lack of publicity for meetings on shale gas



Below is an e-mail local resident Mark D'Arcy sent MLA Brian MacDonald, from whom he has yet to receive a response.

Dear Honourable member Brian MacDonald,

This is a follow-up to my phone request a couple of weeks ago.  I requested information on when your town hall meeting will take place as part of public consultation on shale gas.  I did not hear back from your office.   

At a speech to Moncton Rotary Club and Moncton Chamber of Commerce on October 03, 2011, Premier David Alward promised that MLAs would host town hall meetings in each provincial riding as part of public consultation on shale gas.  He promised that these town hall meetings would take place in October. 


When I was speaking with your office in early January, I learned that you held a meeting on November 17, 2011 at the Stepping Stone Senior Centre.  I understand that there were no notices for this meeting in the newspapers, no notices using e-mail or social media, and no notice posted on your MLA website.  Your office said that there were radio announcements about the meeting. 


A meeting without public notice is not a public meeting. 


When will you be holding your town hall meeting as part of public consultation on shale gas? 

Sincerely yours,

Mark D’Arcy