Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities President, Ray Orb, speaks at the convention. (SARM/Twitter)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

Municipal Affairs

Local RMs want changes to ethics enforcement

Mar 13, 2019 | 12:01 PM

Delegates at the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) annual convention in Saskatoon have voted in favour of a resolution they hope can help them dismiss problematic councillors who have broken ethics rules. The vote follows a similar stance taken by delegates at last month’s Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) convention.

The motion was brought to the floor Tuesday by the RM of Paddockwood and the RM of the District of Lakeland, which are located north of Prince Albert.

The joint motion asks the Government of Saskatchewan to develop regulations that would allow councils to present evidence to the minister of government relations showing rules had been broken to have problematic elected officials removed from office.

Cheryl Bauer Hyde, the reeve for the RM of the District of Lakeland told paNOW her RM felt the issue was a pressing one.

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“We do need the support of regulations within the Municipalities Act, that would assist in dealing with matters of this nature,” she said.

Bauer Hyde said the two RM’s decision to put the motion forward was driven in part by recent developments in the Resort Village of Candle Lake which has been dealing with controversy over the actions of one of their members of council over alleged ethics violations.

The RM of the District of Lakeland sits on a district planning commission with the resort village and other partners.

“We meet regularly to talk about developments within our municipalities and where we can support each other,” she said.

Bauer Hyde said under the current legislation, municipalities who need to remove a problematic official have to go through a court process in order to do so, which can be costly and time consuming.

“When support mechanisms can be put in place to ensure enforcement of provincial regulations and the code of conduct statutes … it sure helps us out,” she said.

She added her RM had not had any issues in terms of elected officials acting improperly.

“This, in our case, would be a proactive support of an existing problem,” said Bauer Hyde. ” I know this isn’t unique to the Candle Lake situation, there are other municipalities both urban and rural that have to deal with matters of this nature,” she said.

Following the passing of the resolution it will now be up to SARM and SUMA officials to lobby the provincial government for improved enforcement supports.

MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn