It’s time to get big money out of City Hall for good

More transparency is needed now, writes Kennedy Stewart.

Lots has been said about our housing crisis. But very few comments have been made regarding how the City of Vancouver balances the interests of the development industry and the interests of our community or how we might enhance public trust in city-council decisions regarding development in B.C.’s biggest city.

One of the best ways to build public confidence in municipal government is by increasing decision-making transparency and the accountability of civic officials. Here are four measures I would bring in as Vancouver’s next mayor to improve our local democracy:

INTRODUCE COOLING-OFF RULES

It’s wrong that on one day a high-ranking city official can negotiate with a private company on behalf of the public, and then the very next day walk across the street and start working for that same company.

The public should rightly question such practices. When was the city official offered the job? Did the job offer affect talks between the city and the company? What confidential information is this person bringing to their new employer?

Rules regulating post-employment exist at the federal and provincial levels, yet there are none in place at the City of Vancouver. We need a 12-month cooling-off period right away.

Those individuals making critical decisions at city hall should wait a year before working for any company with which they have had dealings while employed by the city. If those rules are ignored, then any city-hall business with that company — including development permits — should be suspended for the same 12-month period.

NEW CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST RULES

Elected officials must make decisions in the public interest and not for personal gain. While the Vancouver Charter states council members must avoid voting on issues when they personally think they’re in conflict, this isn’t nearly good enough, especially considering the billions of dollars of real estate deals being made in Vancouver.

As a federal MP, I operated under some of the toughest conflict-of-interest rules in the world. We need to bring these same laws to our city, including requiring elected officials and their spouses to proactively disclose assets.

We also need to prohibit elected officials from engaging in employment, practising a profession, carrying on a business, or holding an office or directorship, if these activities are likely to conflict with their public duties. They do it in Montreal, and we can, too. And to make these new conflict-of-interest rules work, they must be overseen by a new independent conflict-ofinterest commissioner.

IMPLEMENT A LOBBYIST REGISTRY

Trying to persuade governments to spend money or change laws plays a central role in all democracies. But it’s archaic that in Vancouver any company, or its paid lobbyists, can speak with senior civil servants or elected officials in private, while the public has no idea if and when these meetings take place.

Lobbyists must register and disclose meetings at the federal and provincial level. We need the same measures for the City of Vancouver.

DAYLIGHT CAMPAIGN FINANCING

Finally, who funds political campaigns often determines political promises and platforms. While all candidates for city council are required to file donor information after an election, voters should know who is funding campaigns before they vote. I fully support daylighting campaign donations during the election and am already posting online who contributes to my campaign, down to the penny.

In a time when we are all stressed out about our out-of-control housing market, these four new measures would go a long way to assure voters that Vancouver City Hall is making decisions for the public good.

As a federal MP, I operated under some of the toughest conflict-of-interest rules in the world. We need to bring these same laws to our city.