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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1995-04-12, Page 22—THE HURON EXPOSITOR, April 12, 1995 Feature Conflict law tough for local reps BY TIM CUMMING Expositor Editor Local municipal politicians will have to work under new conflict-of- interest rules starting April 15. There are two recent pieces of legislation, the Local Government Disclosure of Interest Act (Bill 163) which affects municipal councillors and the Members' Integrity Act, which affects provincial politicians. Some elected officials feel the new legislation affecting . local towns and townships, Bill 163, is too stringent. They say there are two sets of rules, one at the provin- cial level and one at the municipal level. The Minister of Municipal. Affairs, Ed Philip,..says there needs to be two sets of rules because municipal and provincial representa- tives act in different ways. Philip notes, for instance, that there is an official opposition at the provincial level. "The very nature of the parlia- mentary system creates checks and balances that do not necessarily exist in a council that my have as few as five members, no political parties and no official opposition," he said in a prepared statement. The act governing provincial members is actually more stringent, said Philip, because cabinet minis- ters must divest themselves of certain assets and are prohibited from having an interest in a govern- ment contract. "I do not believe that local mem- bers would welcome such require- ments for themselves," he said. Some local politicians have criti- cized the fact their disclosures of financial information are available at the municipal office. Provincial members must submit a disclosure statement to the Integrity Commis- sioner, who in turn prepares an edited public version. The Minister argues that the MPP's public statement includes the same information as the public statement of a local government member. "In both cases the disclosure statements are filed with the clerk of the body on which they serve," said Philip. "Although MPPs' dis- closure statements will be physi- cally located in Toronto, it is my understanding that the Clerk of the Legislature will send one by mail to anyone who asks for it." Philip said the courts will be allowed a wide range of court responses so the penalty fits the offence. In Philip's statement he says "I am confident that local government members will continue to be able to obtain insurance." Some local councillors have received different information about the availability of insurance if there is a minor breach of conflict-of- interest. The former legislation allowed for an 'inadvertent breach of conflict-of-interest through a 'bona fide error of judgement.' The new legislation doesn't provide such an exemption. Frank Cowan Company Ltd. is an insurance company which insures most municipalities. Vice President John Clark says municipal council- lors can be insured against the most minor contraventions of the act. Under the new law, there are four levels of punishment. These may include the unseating of a council member, a prohibition from running for council, a fine and restitution or a short-term suspension. At the least severe level a judge could suspend a council member for a period not to exceed 90 days. A councillor could be insured against legal costs incurred with the least serious level bf punishment. The goal of the insurance company, said Clark, is to give municipalities coverage similar to what they had under the old legislation. Even under the old insurance councillors would not be covered if they were guilty of a serious breach. Clwk says the insurance company anticipates many more claims under the new legislation as it's much easier for a member of the public to make a claim against a municipal politician. One of the most contentious elements of the original Bill 163 was the suggestion municipal politi- cians would have to list their assets. Critics charged that this would discourage people from running for municipal office. • Seaforth Mayor Irwin Johnston said he would only have a problem with listing the specific dollar fig- ures for personal investments. "The listing of property I have no prob- lem with." A draft copy of the Disclosure of Financial Information form was obtained by The Huron Expositor. The form requires local elected officials to declare their property ownership, their business and finan- cial interests and their sources of income. According to the draft, local elected officials will not have to declare the dollar value of any financial interest or income sources. They will not have to declare any financial interest or income source of less than $2,500 value. Elected officials must list the financial interest of their spouses or minor children, although they are not required to list the name of their spouse or children. A member can apply to the Disclosure of Inter- est Commissioner if they feel dis- closure will result in serious harm to themselves or their business. Local representatives (serving on school boards, PUC's or municipal councils) have 60 days to fill out the new form. McKillop Township Reeve Ron Murray says he disagrees with the fact MPP's are excused an error in judgement while local politicians are not. "I think anybody can make an error in judgement, to take that away is to take human nature away," he said. In the Members' Integrity Act which governs provin- cial politicians the Commissioner can find that an error was made through "inadvertence or an error of judgement made in good faith" and recommend no penalty. There is some fear it will be too easy to accuse a local councillor of conflict of interest under the Local government Disclosure of Interest Act. The Minister of Municipal Affairs, on the other hand, says a new Commissioner can make sure frivolous claims against politicians aren't pursued in the courts. • "The Commissioner will investi- gate alleged contraventions of the Act and determine if court action is warranted," said Philip. "In this way, the Commissioner will act as a clearing house, proceeding to court only when it would be in the public interest to do so." The conflict-of-interest portion of Bill 163 is scheduled to take effect on April 15. Other parts of Bill 163, which relate to municipal planning, have different implemen- tation dates. Some farm organizations have criticized the municipal planning section of the act because local planning decisions "will now be required to beconsistent with prov- incial policies." The Ontario Cattlemen's Associ- ation, for instance, says provincial civil servants could make decisions which would limit landowners' use of their land. "These designations can affect the value of private properties and the use of such land," according to a statement from the Ontario Cattlemen. "The designations amount to expropriation without compensation...many landowners in Ontario are unaware of such desig- nations which have already been placed on the official plan for the municipality." Woman left job to travel to Canada BY TIM CUMMING Expositor Editor 1 Elizabeth Lonergan, 23, quit her ,fob as a primary school teacher *cause she wanted to travel. Her decision brought her to Seaforth where she has been work- ing as a Nanny for dentists Dr. Gerry Hany and Dr. Elizabeth vara Maarten. "I just decided I wanted to travel," she says. "I thought having a job over here is a good way to do that." The experience has been a dra- matic change for someone from Queensland, Australia where her native Rockhampton has 100,000 people and the temperature is as high as 36° Celsius or more. She found her current position through an agency called Q. C. Personnel and she has a one-year contract. Although her parents live in a very small town the slow pace of Seaforth life is a change for Eliza- beth, who arrived on Feb. 17. Another big change was the switch from sunny Australia to snowy Canada. After coming to Canada she had the experience of being driven to London in a snow storm. "I think I'll really appreciate the weather when I go home," she says, insisting that a 2° or 3° temperature would be considered very cold indeed. Since arriving in North America she has visited Michigan and a few different places in Ontario. TRAVEL TO CANADA - Elizabeth Lonergan has found Seaforth a big change from her home in Australia. { 1 SEEING 15 BELIEVING. SKIDOO® SPRING BREAK '96. ' 2 , • ( gd� See all the ways you can save during our Spring Break event. Come in now through April 30, 1995 and get up•to $500 cash toward a new '96 Ski -Doo snowmobile. Just put $300 down and you won't. make another payment until February 1. 1996Y Plus get Special low Spring Break pricing. Gel a great deal and lock up the sled you want before itis gone! Check out Ski -Doo Spring Break '96! •m'I' I(Irnretrks of Rombardler hu I►tirr applies to msidenls of Canada and the Continental 1 S. only ••Subll'e1 10 appnned erefill and applicable germs and condillons. 1 sil-doo. ENMINEEREO FOR INE WAY YOU RIDE' 519-527-0120 1 1/4 Mile North of Seaforth Branches In AYR AND CAMBRIDGE a r PUBLIC NOTICE The Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services will conduct a hearing in Seaforth to con- sider a request for consent to disband the Seaforth Police Service, pursuant to Section 40 of the Police Services Act. The hearing will commence at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26, 1995 in the Council Chambers of the Town's Municipal Offices, 72 Main Street South, Seaforth The purpose of the hearing is to consider the ade- quacy of the Ontario Provincial Police proposal to provide policing for the town and whether agree- ments dealing with severance pay have been reached with members of the force whose employ- ment will be terminated if the proposal is accept- ed. If the Commission gives its consent to the Seaforth Police Service being disbanded, then Municipal Council will be free to enter into an agreement with the Solicitor General for service by the Ontario Provincial Police. Anyone wishing to address the panel or obtain further information about the process is invited to contact Mr. Gordon Hampson of my staff at (416) 314-3013. e/� I�%��AeJr tetet &rta, Murray W. Chitra Chair PCBLIC MEETING CONCERNING A PROPOSED ZONING AMIENI)1IEN'I' AFFECTING THE TOWNSHIP (1F'l't•(:KF:RS111'I'II TAKE NOTICE that it, Council or th, Corporation e,l' ih, 'I'ossnatip ut Turker•.mith will hold a !rublie meeting[ mi Tuesday, .11a) 2. 1995 at 8:011 p.m. in the 'rurkersmilh Township Council Chambers. V'anns(I•a. In runsidrr• a proposed zoning amendment under Section 34 of the I'Itulning; Art. The zoning; amendment In the 'I'urker.nlilh 'rossnsIip Zoning: liy-las. includes changes and additions as folloss,: 1. Addition of a definition for an adult lige entertainment parlour: 2. Addition of a provision to prohibit adult lis, entertainment par- lours within the Township of 'I'ur•kersmilh. %%holier consisting of a stain use or an accessory use: 3.:V provision lo'r•edure the minimum yard or setback requirements for buildings and structures used for lise.lol'k. Ieotrllrs and fur hearing; animal housing; and wast, storage a, follow.: front s aril depth - 6(I miter.: rear yarddepth - 3(1 1111•1.id, s:u d d,plh 30 nn•Ire's: rrlrr•inr',ilk yard depth - (ell loci ,,•.. The above list i, a brief summary of the changes in the proposed hs - lasv. Complete copies of the by-law are a%ailablr from the Tiusnsliip Clerk. :1s a text amendment In-Ihe comprehensive affects all land, within 1111•Township of Tor , NIS I'I'RSONinav attrml 1111• public nip( i r'�i rritil'iijrre.rittii1114 rilYu i iii supie''rf proposed amendment. AI)I)I'I'IONAI, IN12OIt11A'174)N and ron,l,l,I, e•oleie•. of Ilrr proposed zoning: lunenelno•nl :u, :nuilablc d1n•in_ rrgerl;er offir, hour- al Ib, Township Clerk's offirr in lanaslra. DATED IN 'HIE TOWNSHIP OF Tt'(:KEitsmi111 (r•fll DAV- OF• \I'I3II.. 1995. Mr. .1. R. 114Larhlan 'Clerk -Treasury'. TOWNSHIP OF T1 CKI•:Rti11I1II (:MR 117. R.R. #5. Clinton. (logon,, N0N1 11,0 (5I9) 482-9.52:3 tonin_ les -lass. 1his 1 -I:ns kr1' 111 th. •tine and/"r Maki ice i'll� itt 1995 SEAFORTH SENIOR GAMES CALENDAR OF EVENTS 5 PIN BOWLING Friday, April 7, 1995 1:15 p.m. Starlight Lanes Ann Wood SOLO Thursday, May 4, 1995 1:30 p.m. Seaforth Legion Ernie Harburn WALKING Tuesday, May 9, 1995 Rain Date - Wed., May 10 10:00 a.m. Seaforth Arena/Race Track Marty Bedard EUCHRE Tuesday, May 16, 1995 7:30 p.m. Seaforth Legion Upper Hall Gwen Harburn and Mel Melanson CROKINOLE Wednesday, May 17. 1995 2:00 p.m. Maplewood Manor Marty Bedard GOLF Wednesday, May 24, 1995 Rain Date - Thurs., May 25 10:30 a.m. Seaforth Golf Course Al Nicholson CARPET BOWLING Tuesday, May 2, 1995 1:30 P.M. Seaforth Arena Charlie and Peg Perkins CRIBBAGE Thursday, May 4, 1995 7:30 p.m. Seaforth Legion Games Room Al Nicholson BRIDGE Tuesday, May 9, 1995 7:30 p.m. Seaforth Legion Games Room Betty Leonhardt HORSESHOES - Wednesday, May 17, 1995 Rain Date - Thurs., May 18 10:00 a.m. Seaforth Arena Ernie Harburn TENNIS Friday, May 19, 1995 Rain Date - Tues., May 23 10:00 a.m. Highland Courts Druisilla Leitch LAWN BOWLING Thursday, May 2,5, 1995 Rain Date - Fri. May 26 10:30 a.m. Lawn Bowling Club Neil Bell SHUFFLEBOARD Wednesday, May 3, 1995 1:30 p.m. Seaforth Arena Charlie and Peg Perkins DARTS Saturday, May 6, 1995 2:00 p.m. Seaforth Legion John Cairns SNOOKER Thursday, May 11, 1995 1:30 p.m. Gordon Murray Residence Marty Bedard SOFTBALL THROW Wednesday, May 17, 1995 1:30 p.m. Seaforth Arena Marty Bedard BOSTON POOL Tuesday. May 23, 1995 1:30 p.m. Watson Reid Residence Gordon Murray SWIMMING V. Newnham and D. Leitch TBA TRIATHALON TBA 1 CUT OUT AND SAVE THE ABOVE INFORMATION Any Senior age 55 years or older may participate in one or as many games as you wish. Partcipation fee is $3.00. This fee is a one time fee. $3.00 will allow you to play as many games as you wish. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE SEAFORTH SENIOR GAMES YOU CAN CONTACT THE RECREATION OFFICE AT 527-0882 L J