Councillors push for mayoral code of conduct
Stevenson wants code of conduct to keep mayor in check during election
Mayor Naheed Nenshi raised eyebrows during his 2013 campaign bid when he publicly endorsed all 12 incumbents running for reelection that year.
At the time, the tactic drew fire from several council hopefuls concerned the popular mayor’s public support could harm their chances.
Now just under a year out from the October 2017 election, two councillors are asking the city’s ethics commissioner to develop a code of conduct for the mayor, along with any incumbent councillors vying for the top job — a move one outgoing city politician hopes will keep Nenshi in check.
“One of the concerns I have is that a mayor running for re-election or a councillor running for mayor may influence or try to influence the votes in the various wards, and I’m not sure that that’s proper,” said Coun. Jim Stevenson, who’s set to retire from the north Calgary ward he’s represented since 2007.
“Mayor Nenshi, the last time around, did work in some of the wards in favour or against sitting councillors,” he said.
“I’m not sure that’s right. Maybe council will feel there’s nothing wrong with that — I’m not sure.”
The notice of motion, drafted by Stevenson and Ward Sutherland, was set to come before council at Monday’s council meeting for approval.
It calls for ethics commissioner Alice Woolley to draft guidelines and obligations for both the sitting mayor and incumbent councillors seeking the mayor’s chair.
In his successful 2013 run, Nenshi attended events for a handful of incumbent councillors, and, when questioned by reporters, said he was endorsing all his colleagues, even offering up a quote and photo for their brochures if they wanted them.
But Stevenson said his endorsement was short-lived from the mayor, who later publicly told voters to not support candidates who refused to disclose their political donations before election day.
“Last time around he asked people not to vote for me because of the fact I wouldn’t disclose my donations beforehand,” Stevenson said, adding the practice could pave the way for election slates that include mayoral candidates running alongside other candidates of like mind.
“There were two of us, and he said, ‘Don’t vote for anybody that doesn’t disclose it.’ ”
Nenshi himself was taken aback by the proposed motion, taking the opportunity to take a swipe at Stevenson’s political roots.
“Surely, since Coun. Stevenson is a founding member of the (now defunct) Reform party, he believes in freedom of speech,” he said, noting people write references for their colleagues in other sectors all the time.
“I literally have no idea what this is about.”
He added a code of conduct already exists that governs the behaviour of incumbents, raising further questions about the request.
Council hadn’t made a decision on the motion by press time Monday.