Municipal politicians are running scared after a sa国际传媒 Court of Appeal decision tightened the rules on conflict of interest earlier this year.
The court ruled that two Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee members were in a conflict when they voted to give grants to two community organizations of which they were directors. Even though they did not gain financially, the judge said they legally owed a duty to serve the best interests of both the island and the volunteer organizations. And it was impossible to serve both at the same time.
Voters need to know, the judge said, that elected representatives give their 鈥渦ndivided loyalty.鈥�
We hoped at the time that the decision would not dissuade active community volunteers from running for office in the future, but it has had a more immediate harmful effect.
Now there are reports that councillors are so worried about running afoul of the law that they are rushing out of the council chambers at the slightest hint of a conflict of interest.
During budget discussions this year, some councils had trouble maintaining quorums because so many members had run for cover. The Union of sa国际传媒 Municipalities wants the provincial government to step in with clearer rules.
In the meantime, councils are looking at solutions such as appointing citizens as representatives to outside boards and authorities, rather than sending councillors.
Those steps will help for council-appointed memberships on other bodies, but they don鈥檛 solve the problems of councillors who are directors of the vast range of volunteer community organizations.
Thousands of dedicated people run for municipal office and we need them. The province must clarify the rules before the situation becomes ridiculous.
