North Saanich councillors are about to enact an oath of office and one of them has questioned why itB次元官网网址檚 needed at all.
Coun. Murray Weisenberger challenged Mayor Alice Finall at the Feb. 19 council meeting, saying the mayor B次元官网网址渟eems to think councillors need to be prevented from talking about what goes on behind closed doors.B次元官网网址�
The proposed oath of office has a section B次元官网网址� and itB次元官网网址檚 clearly the largest of the requirements within the oath B次元官网网址� that would have councillors, current and future, affirming their willingness to keep in confidence records, information and discussions that take place in meetings lawfully closed to the public.
Weisenberger said the B.C. Community Charter already has this stipulation in place.
B次元官网网址淚 fail to see the logical reason to do this,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f I thought that that was not the case, IB次元官网网址檇 be singing like a canary here, B次元官网网址榗ause I think thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of things that people would like to know about what goes on in closed meetings. but I donB次元官网网址檛, because itB次元官网网址檚 in the Community Charter and IB次元官网网址檓 not allowed to do that.B次元官网网址�
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Part 5 of the Community Charter does, in fact, outline that very thing under its statements on council roles and responsibilities.
The same section of the Charter also states B次元官网网址淎 person elected or appointed to office on a council must (emphasis ours) make an oath or solemn affirmation of officeB次元官网网址次元官网网址� within a specified time frame. If a person fails to do so, continues the Charter, the person is disqualified from holding office.
North Saanich council did not have a bylaw requiring such an oath before 2010 and had used the oath as prescribed by provincial regulation. As part of its strategic plan, council set out to consider putting a bylaw in place to formally establish an oath in North Saanich.
Staff reported that council put a bylaw in place in 2010, but it differed B次元官网网址渋n that it contained an additional provision to highlight the duties of council members and former council members to respect confidentiality.B次元官网网址� , returning the District to its pre-2010 state of affairs.
The staff report also pointed out council is not required to establish an oath of office bylaw, if it so wishes.
Finall pointed to that background by staff, in answer to WeisenbergerB次元官网网址檚 challenge.
Council voted for the new oath and will officially ratify it at an upcoming meeting.
editor@peninsulanewsreview.com
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