Ethics adviser confirms she is leaving post at end of January
The city’s first ethics adviser will be stepping down after more than 2½ years of keeping a watchful eye on city council.
Alice Woolley confirmed Wednesday she will resign at the end of January, after news of her departure was prematurely released at a council committee earlier this week.
The University of Calgary law professor was appointed alongside retired judge Allen Sulatycky in April 2016 as the city’s first ethics adviser and integrity commissioner.
Woolley said it’s time for another person to take over the role she helped create, and hopes they will be able to spend more time at city hall.
“Now they need someone who can just be a little bit more present than I’m able to be, given my university commitments,” she said.
“Having a little bit more of a presence (at city hall) is really important because it allows people to just drop by when something is on their mind, rather than picking up the phone and sort of making a ‘big deal’ out of it.”
While other Canadian cities have appointed integrity commissioners, Calgary was the first in the country to launch an office dedicated to advising council members on ethical issues and probing complaints levelled at elected officials.
During her tenure, Woolley drafted a new council code of conduct that saw tightened rules around what gifts council members can accept.