Whereas, all Ontarians deserve and expect a safe and respectful workplace;
Whereas, municipal governments, as the democratic institutions most directly engaged with Ontarians need respectful discourse;
Whereas, several incidents in recent years of disrespectful behaviour and workplace harassment have occurred amongst members of municipal councils;
Whereas, these incidents seriously and negatively affect the people involved and lower public perceptions of local governments;
Whereas, municipal Codes of Conduct are helpful tools to set expectations of council member behaviour;
Whereas, municipal governments do not have the necessary tools to adequately enforce compliance with municipal Codes of Conduct;
Now, therefore be it resolved that the County of Oxford supports the call of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario for the Government of Ontario to introduce legislation to strengthen municipal Codes of Conduct and compliance with them in consultation with municipal governments;
Also be it resolved that the legislation encompass the Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s recommendations for:
- Updating municipal Codes of Conduct to account for workplace safety and harassment
- Creating a flexible administrative penalty regime, adapted to the local economic and financial circumstances of municipalities across Ontario
- Increasing training of municipal Integrity Commissioners to enhance consistency of investigations and recommendations across the province
- Allowing municipalities to apply to a member of the judiciary to remove a sitting member if recommended through the report of a municipal Integrity Commissioner
- Prohibit a member so removed from sitting for election in the term of removal and the subsequent term of office.
And further that this resolution be circulated to the Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario; the Honourable Steve Clark, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing; the Honourable Ernie Hardeman, Oxford MPP; Charmaine Williams, Associate Minister of Women's Social and Economic Opportunity; the Association of Municipalities of Ontario; and all Ontario Municipalities.