Judging by the local interest in a pending piece of Provincial legislation aimed at tidying up perceived weaknesses in the Integrity Commissioner’s role to recommend Code of Conduct discipline for errant municipal members, Oldies is moving the matter under the light of Community Spotlight.
We do so, given that what is being suggested by Queen’s Park as improvements Province-wide will have no bearing on any issues that have arisen in the current term of office in McNab-Braeside.
The proposed legislation was discussed January 14th at Township Council, and the session was chaired by Deputy Mayor Lori Hoddinott.
The Deputy Mayor says she has had the ear of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Paul Callandra, since the 2024 Rural Municipalities of Ontario Conference held in Ottawa last January.
According to Hoddinott, similarities between her discussion with Callandra have made their way into the current legislation on changes to the Municipal Code of Conduct.
The Deputy Mayor sees a major flaw in what is currently being proposed by the Ontario Government.
She says the first draft of the new legislation doesn’t guarantee the objectivity of the local representatives.
Hoddinott agrees leaving such a decision to a member’s peers would fail under any Charter of Rights challenge.
The Deputy Mayor would prefer that any such recommendation for removal of a locally-elected official be made by Senior government.
Lori Hoddinott says Township public have an opportunity to express their opinion, and should do so- yea or nay, before the February deadline.
See Item 9.4 in the Township Meeting Agenda from January 14th
The Deputy Mayor says as things stand, there is multi-partisan support for such an initiative.
A possible “fly in the ointment” is that, on average, the Ontario Legislature sits only an average of 85.67 calendar days per year- and, should Premier Ford call an early election under the threat of U.S. tariffs,
all of these efforts will die on the Order Paper.
By Rick Stow