Commission officials explained that the ban is a direct response to a surge of insulting and abusive comments that have been directed at commissioners, staff and other attendees, comments that intensified after the police chief Warren Driechel’s controversial trip to Israel sparked heated public backlash.

Chair Ben Henderson told CBC News that the safety of commissioners, employees and the audience must come first, noting that the behaviour of some speakers over the past months made the meeting room feel unsafe and that the commission had exhausted all other mitigation attempts.

While the prohibition on live speakers is temporary, the EPC stressed that meetings will continue to be streamed online and that written submissions will still be accepted; the body also said it will revisit the decision before the start of the next year.

The episode highlights the delicate balance an oversight agency must strike between protecting its members from harassment and preserving democratic avenues for community input.