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‘A SLIPPERY SLOPE’
West Vancouver council rejects code of conduct
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JANE SEYD
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District of West Vancouver council has once more voted to reject a code of conduct that would set ethical standards for the way council members are expected to behave.
In a 5-2 vote, the majority of council voted Monday to kibosh the policy which would have set standards for council behaviour. Those opposed said such a code was unnecessary, would result in a flurry of time-consuming complaints and potentially cast a chilling effect on freedom of speech. In voting to reject the code, crafted over the past year by a committee including three councillors and members of the legal profession, most councillors said they didn’t want to open the door to excessive regulation that could be used to stifle dissenting opinions. The code of conduct was brought before council as a direct result of a provincial directive that requires local councils to consider it. Last year, district staff drafted a proposed code addressing such things as harassment, abuse of office, conflict of interest, handling of confidential or personal information, interference with staff or committees and preventing the outside activities of council members from undermining their integrity on council. Rather than pass it, council struck a committee to look
UPLIFTING WORK A worker gets some fresh air on the job at a new North Van apartment April 19. The District of North Vancouver is on pace to meet new provincial housing targets, according to staff. See story page 16. NICK LABA / NSN at it. But the policy which resulted from that work encountered similar issues as the last version Monday night. Pointed opinions about the need for such a policy – or lack thereof – were also aired before councillors cast their votes. Several members of the public – including a lawyer who sat on the committee that developed the policy – urged council to reject the code. “These things don’t always work out the way they plan
to despite the best intentions,” said lawyer Dave Thomas. Thomas said such codes have been used to silence debate and would involve hiring an “integrity commissioner” to investigate complaints. “It’s very expensive,” he said. “A number of municipalities are finding that out now.” “In my opinion this is a solution being forced on everyone in search of a problem.” Continued on A24
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