Bias, corruption top complaints for Barrie’s integrity commissioner

Simcoe.com
Oct. 6, 2016
Jenni Dunning

In the past year and a half, the City of Barrie’s integrity commissioner Suzanne Craig received 13 complaints, including one accusation against council members of potential corruption.

Charged with helping council follow the city’s code of conduct, Craig’s guidelines found that accusation to be unfounded.

In that instance, a resident suggested it improper Mayor Jeff Lehman, Ward 7 Coun. Andrew Prince and Ward 10 Coun. Mike McCann accepted campaign donations from a developer, yet voted on that developer’s plans.

It is only an “improper use of influence” if a member of council knows the donor, knows they made a donation and made a promise for future advantage to that donor, Craig wrote in her report.

What is it like being an integrity commissioner? We asked Craig about her job.

Where are you integrity commissioner?
I provide integrity commissioner services on a part-time basis for the City of Barrie, City of Vaughan, Township of Georgian Bay and the Town of Blue Mountains.

I was appointed in April as the first integrity commissioner for the Toronto District School Board. I am the accountability officer for Waterfront Toronto.

What do people most often complain about?
Most of the concerns that I receive relate to a general lack of understanding between matters that are covered by the Code of Conduct for members of council and other matters that fall outside of my jurisdiction to investigate, such as rules of enforcement of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act and Municipal Elections Act.

In addition, many complaints that I have received and had to dismiss relate to decisions of the municipality – either staff actions/decisions or decisions of council.

What are the most common complaints in Barrie?
The complaints have touched on matters that trigger the rules of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act and city processes in relation to handling of public complaints where a member of the public is unhappy with a decision of council.

I have also received several inquiries regarding concerns individuals have with what is perceived by them to be a councillor’s bias towards a particular group or a particular position around a decision of council.

What is the biggest challenge as an integrity commissioner?
The biggest challenge for an integrity commissioner is balancing my duties of educating members of council, staff and the public on the meaning and extent of the rules of the Code of Conduct and what my office does not have jurisdiction to receive or investigate.