Brampton council directs staff to review cost, need for integrity commissioner

BramptonGuardian.com
April 9, 2018
Graeme Frisque

To have an integrity commissioner or not to have an integrity commissioner?

That’s the question Brampton council is asking after directing staff to prepare a report looking at the cost, effectiveness and need for a municipal integrity commissioner during last week’s council meeting on April 4.

The motion to have staff report back to council passed unanimously.

The issue was brought to the council floor in wake of an integrity commissioner report, which found an unnamed council member had not violated council’s code of conduct after it was alleged by six other councillors he or she had revealed confidential information to the media.

“The complainants relied on a news story that quoted the respondent as having identified a specific item under consideration by the city. They alleged, based on the news article, that the respondent had breached the confidentiality of a closed meeting,” read the report.

Integrity commissioner Guy Giorno found the allegation did not constitute a violation of Rule 3 of the code.

Wards 9 and 10 Coun. John Sprovieri, who was the subject of a separate integrity commissioner investigation earlier this year where he was found to have contravened a section of the code, then tabled the motion calling for the staff report.

“What have we really achieved in the last three and a half years having an integrity commissioner, besides causing a lot of animosity among (council) members and the cost?” he asked.

“I believe we should be reviewing this whole integrity commissioner idea and see whether it’s good value for the taxpayers. We’ve had many cases where the cases have been dismissed because of non-sufficient evidence and also people coming up with some good lullabies.” he added.

There are six reports listed on the city's website issued by integrity commissioner’s office stemming from complaints since 2015, including two so far in 2018.

Ward 1 and 5 Coun. Elaine Moore agreed with Sprovieri — at least in part.

“I think it’s worthwhile to report back on the cost of the integrity commissioner’s service for this term of council. But with the greatest of respect, I don’t think it’s staff’s job to decide whether that was money well spent or not. I think the judgment of that really lies with the taxpayers,” said Moore.

“I do think, however, that if we look at the complaints that have come from the community versus a way to resolve or reconcile some grievances or disagreements around this (council) table, I think there’s a better way to do it,” she said, suggesting a mediator might be a better option to resolve council disputes.

Coun. Gael Miles, while voting in favour of the staff report, supported the need for an integrity commissioner, saying she believed the office has helped keep councillors honest in face of the rules.

All the discussion may be for naught, however, as a member of staff pointed out to council that provincial legislation making integrity commissioners mandatory for all Ontario municipalities is coming in March 2019.