Whereas, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) has called on the Government of Ontario to support legislation that would:
- Update municipal Codes of Conduct to account for workplace safety and harassment
- Create a flexible administrative penalty regime, adapted to the local economic and financial circumstances of municipalities across Ontario
- Increase training of municipal Integrity Commissioners to enhance consistency of investigations and recommendations across the Province
- Allow municipalities to apply to a member of the judiciary to remove a sitting member if recommended through the report of a municipal Integrity Commissioner
- Prohibit a member so removed from sitting for election in the term of removal and the subsequent term of office; and
Whereas, AMO believes that these changes will improve the working environment of municipal elected and staff officials and send a strong signal regarding the standard of conduct expected of elected officials and protect anyone that may be subject to egregious behaviour;
Now, therefore be it resolved that the Council of the Township of Southgate supports the correspondence to the Premier of Ontario by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and calls on the Government of Ontario to unanimously support Bill 5 – Stopping Harassment and Abuse by Local Leaders Act; and
That this resolution be circulated to The Honourable Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Kate Manson-Smith, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, MPP Rick Byers ,MP Alex Ruff, and all Ontario municipal councils and AMO.