Danger, futility in legislating ethical behaviour
Enough with codes of conduct! There. That felt good. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not condoning bad behaviour by local politicians, let alone anyone else.
Indeed, I encourage people to call out those whose bullying, uncivil approaches, intolerant attitudes, blatant partisan ploys and loutish speech coarsen the governing process in Niagara.
I just don’t see the solution to such antics being a code of conduct, a charter composed and approved by politicians who try, often in vain, to reach some sort of consensus on acceptable comportment.
These efforts bring to mind the old saying about how a camel is a horse designed by a committee.
I recognize this brings me in line with the ruling right-wing cabal on Niagara regional council, a realization that makes me want to have a long, hot shower in an attempt to wash off any lingering taint from such an association.
Then again, elements of that cabal are also heavily involved in trying to ‘strengthen’ the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority’s code of conduct, an exercise that has resulted in at least one Stalinesque change — a loyalty pledge — that is stunningly idiotic, not to mention frightening.
And therein lies one of the key problems with having such an etched-in-stone code of conduct.
Belief in its worthiness and fairness depends very much on whose ox is being gored.
St. Catharines city council created its 15-page — 15-page!! — code of conduct in 2010. I thought it was a dumb idea and said so at the time.
Council, in my view, had pandered to a small cadre of self-appointed, integrity police and were wallowing in political correctness. There were already a number of existing ways to keep municipal politicians in check, negating the need for such a code and the enforcement industry it would help create.
My thoughts then were similar in spirit to those recently expressed by St. Catharines regional Coun. Andy Petrowski at a meeting held to update the Region’s code.
Man, I’m going to need a lot of soap for this shower I’m taking.
At least I’m consistent. Petrowski, a private citizen back in 2010, had loudly lobbied St. Catharines to adopt ethical commandments.
The city received one complaint early on relating to the code. It was ruled outside the code’s parameters. Last year, one complaint each was filed against councillors Sal Sorrento and Mike Britton by Niagara Folk Arts Multicultural Centre executive director Jeff Burch.
Burch accused the two of bullying and intimidation because of the content, manner and tone of the questions Folk Arts representatives were asked at a council meeting.
The allegations were based on flimsy evidence and intimated acceptable strict limits could be imposed on a city councillor’s breadth of expression.
The required investigation was a waste of time, energy and money. And I say that as someone who has admired Burch’s political and community service, and has not necessarily warmed to the merits of Britton and Sorrento.
But most of the attention on public-service ethics has focused on Niagara regional council. And who’s kidding who here, the moral hand-wringing primarily revolves around the question: How do you solve a problem like Andy?
The short answer is: Vote Petrowski out of office.
What, you need an integrity commissioner to tell you his actions, behaviour, public utterings and tweets are outside acceptable bounds for an elected representative?
By themselves, code-of-conduct rulings against Petrowski will mean little. Indeed, I suspect he’ll wear them as badges of honour. That was certainly the case in the last municipal election when the smell of similar rulings enveloped him.
Suck it up, voters. Educate yourself and cast your ballots intelligently and strategically.
And know this: If the mushy middle forms the next ruling cabal on regional council, the out-of-power right-wing elements in the community will exploit whatever code-ofconduct is in place to gum up the political works at the Region.
Today’s self-appointed integrity police are living in la-la land if they don’t see that gong show coming.