Code of conduct adopted

City council has accepted an official code of conduct which gives itself authority to impose either a reprimand or suspension of pay for up to 90 days.

The motion was passed after a lengthy debate Tuesday about whether to adopt a code immediately or wait to see if the Region’s other municipalities adopt a standard code.

Coun. Kim Craitor, while supporting the code prepared by staff, felt the city should “work together” with the Region, and that “we’re going just a little too quick.”

The code, which addresses areas like harassment, social media and staff relations, follows the Royal Assent of Bill 68, which modernizes Ontario’s Municipal Legislation Act.

The Act includes a requirement that municipalities establish a code of conduct for council members, and appoint an integrity commissioner to act in an independent matter for complaints.

For that reason, city solicitor Ken Beaman urged council to adopt a code now, and amend it if necessary in the future.

That way, “council is not at risk of being caught without a code of conduct.”

Other council members agreed, including Vince Kerrio who stressed “we should be leaders and let (other municipalities) look at what we passed.

“We should be here to set an example on how we act, how we behave.”

Added Coun. Joyce Morocco: “We have a responsibility to get this code of conduct in place immediately.”

Discussion of the code followed a volatile council meeting in June, in which an integrity commissioner found Coun. Carolynn Ioannoni in breach of disclosing confidential information during a closed-door council meeting earlier this year. Council approved a motion asking for her resignation, and suspending her pay for 90 days.

Ioannoni disputes the integrity commissioner Brian Duxbury’s report, and filed a complaint with the Ontario Ombudsman the next morning to investigate his probe.

Ioannoni said she had “dozens” of questions about the code of conduct as written, and directed several at CAO Ken Todd. She said council should defer accepting the code until an integrity commissioner is hired and a public meeting is held to discuss it.

“To run it through without public input is wrong,” she said.

She questioned some of the code’s terminology, wondering what constitutes a breach, such as a heated debate during council meetings. “We’re apologizing here for not agreeing with each other,” she said. “It’s not a crime, it’s called political debate.”

But an angry Morocco said council members should act in a professional manner “not just part of the time, but all of the time.”

She said the code was “long overdue,” and all council members should “act like mature, elected officials.”

Morocco was especially pleased the code addresses social media conduct, saying it has become “another form of bullying.”

We have a responsibility to get this code of conduct in place immediately.”

Joyce Morocco