New council rule would put limits on campaigning

At least one councillor worried about fairness to incumbents

The city’s ethics commissioner has proposed new guidelines for councillors ahead of the 2017 election.

With a number of councillors seeking re-election amid a change to ward boundaries, the rules are intended to prevent councillors from meddling in affairs outside their current wards, while also allowing them to campaign.

The proposed guidelines, which will go to council for approval on Monday, would restrict councillors from attending private, ward-specific events outside their current constituency, and stop “outside councillors” from campaigning in other councillors’ wards.

“The law is very clear that we are a councillor for the city, and we have to make decisions with the best interest of the city in mind,” northwest Coun. Sean Chu said of the new campaigning guidelines.

“So, as the election goes, other candidates can go anywhere they want.”

About a month ago, Chu said he received complaints about his door-knocking in neighbourhoods that are currently outside his ward but will become part of the ward after the next election.

Chu said he had a meeting with the ethics commissioner who suggested Chu represent himself as a candidate for council, not an incumbent councillor.

“Even though I’m not breaking any rules, there’s just less trouble that way.”

While the proposed guidelines limit where and when incumbent councillors can campaign, challengers to the ward are allowed to campaign in any ward they wish.

Chu said it may be hard for current councillors to campaign under the new guidelines and ward boundaries.

“I think it won’t be a detriment, but I would say it’s unfair,” Chu said. “If you restrict someone going into a fight, let’s say you handcuff them, how are you going to fight?

“You handcuff one person but let the other person do what they want? It’s just unfair.”

Inner-city coun. Druh Farrell

The law is very clear that we are a councillor for the city, and we have to make decisions with the best interest of the city in mind.

doesn’t see the harm in new guidelines allowing challengers the ability to campaign where incumbents are not, but she is concerned outside councillors could be “confusing Calgarians” about who represents them.

“Right now, we have work to do,” Farrell said.

“And it’s longer than a year before the next election, and we all have a lot to do within our existing ward boundaries.”

Fifty-eight communities were moved under the ward boundary change.