Should municipal councillors be able to say whatever they want?
Of course not.
However, there should be latitude to speak one’s mind on issues.
At the same time, they should not cloud facts.
However, that is the political game these days, isn’t it? And it’s fatiguing.
There are some politicians, and political parties, that spew out misinformation galore. The leading candidate is running our southern neighbour these days.
But we’ve seen it at home. At its meekest, it’s called spin. At its worst, it’s outright lies. Push out questionable information to appeal to a voter base.
At the provincial or federal level, elected representatives unfortunately all too often vote along party lines, rather than what is best, or right, for constituents. Rex Crawford, your unflappable values are sadly missed, God rest your soul.
But at the council level, there are no true political parties. Oh, sure, there are belief structures in place for everyone at the table. We all have them. Some lean left, some right.
Many councillors speak passionately about issues, for or against, and that’s encouraged. Good dialogue is vital.
But at some point, that dialogue, especially after matters are settled, can be undermining to the direction of council. A councillor may be vehemently opposed to an issue, but once the vote is made, the decision by the majority of council needs to be supported.
We’ve seen frustration spill over after meetings. We’ve witnessed a laptop sent spinning down a hallway by one irate councillor.
Councillors are human. Passion can be worn, at times, on one’s sleeve.
But there is a fine line. And that’s where the integrity commissioner comes into play. Councillors are to adhere to a code of conduct. The need for such a code is outlined in the province’s Municipal Act. It’s law.
An integrity commissioner is a third party who does not do the bidding of municipal administration or council; they are independent.
So when the commissioner makes a ruling against one or more members of council, it’s not done with malice in mind. The commissioner is too far removed from the matter to be biased. They rule based on the code of conduct.
But, like councillors, they are human. And humans aren’t perfect.
