The Smith government’s plans to eliminate municipal council code of conduct bylaws should be reconsidered in light of the potential negative impacts on local governance.
Under the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, Bill 50, existing municipal code of conduct bylaws will be repealed.
“This will help ensure council members are held accountable at the polls, every four years, by the voters who initially elected them. They may also be recalled by a petition of electors,” said Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver.
The government plans to “engage with municipalities on the establishment of common practices for municipal councils and an independent ethics commissioner,” he added.
Existing municipal code of conduct bylaws deal with matters such as conflicts of interest, interactions between council members and staff, and allegations of improper influence by elected officials.
In response to Bill 50, Alberta Municipalities (ABmunis) recently undertook an analysis of the legislation and last week issued a position paper on the matter.
“The removal of codes of conduct for councils undercuts the autonomy of municipal governments to manage internal challenges with damaging behaviour by elected officials,” ABmunis officials said.
“By removing the process in which councils are able to deal with inappropriate behaviour made by council members, and enforceable sanctions, there will be a lack of accountability both inside and outside council chambers.”
The Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA), representing 69 municipalities, including Mountain View and Red Deer counties, is also undertaking a review of Bill 50.
Mountain View County Reeve Angela Aalbers recently told the Albertan, “While we recognize that no system is perfect, the unilateral removal of this important governance tool without first engaging local governments in meaningful dialogue, is concerning.
“Strong local governments are built on trust, accountability, and the ability to govern in a way that reflects the needs and values of their communities.”
Taking away the ability of municipal councils to police the behaviour of their members through code of conduct bylaws does not serve or benefit the community-at-large.
Dan Singleton is an editor with the Albertan.
