Jeffrey, who did not support the committee's creation because she said it “falls far short of what a transit committee should be” left the meeting within the first 10 minutes.

While the comical scene unfolded, readers following the discussion online and on the live video feed that illustrated the lack of interest, poked fun at elected officials, highlighting on social media the clear lack of enthusiasm for such an important issue, one that hundreds of residents have pledged on social media to focus on during the next election.

Once the meeting finally got underway, Miles, who lashed out at the media for questioning her contributions to transit over her nine terms in office, then seconded the June 7 motion to launch the very action item to create a transit committee highlighted by the media in its criticism of council inactivity, questioned whether the committee is even needed.

“If I asked (staff), could you just not tell me what is needed (from council)? I bet you could without doing all of this,” Miles said.

Joe Pitushka, commissioner of public works and engineering, responded to Miles’ questioning of the committee’s purpose, telling her and others that a dedicated transit committee is a “good exercise” for staff to piece all of the city’s transit initiatives together into a framework.

“I think we got to give this committee a chance and see how it goes. So far, I think it’s going well. I thought that it was an appropriate committee, quite frankly, when council decided to form it,” he said.

Miles asked pointed questions on major transit initiatives currently underway, but suggested that other than performing advocacy work there is little point having elected officials set time aside for a regular, transit-focused committee. City councils in almost all major Canadian municipalities have such committees or created temporary ones during periods of significant transit expansion.

Currently, the group is only scheduled to convene twice a year with the option of calling a meeting when needed.

The Guardian has reported that unlike other major Canadian cities, Brampton — facing important decisions on light rail transit, bus rapid transit and other challenges such as expanded GO Train service and how to get connectivity with the high speed route it was left off — does not have a committee or commission dedicated specifically to the portfolio as Toronto or even Mississauga did during two massive transit expansions of LRT and BRT projects.

The absence of any such council work came during a period of massive population growth in Brampton, while veteran councillors, many like Miles who have served for decades, remained out of touch with students, employees and other residents who have increasingly called for efficient transit connectivity throughout the GTA.

During the Nov. 7 meeting staff said more than 20 transit projects are currently being planned or are underway.