Rule No. 16
Conduct Respecting Staff
1. No
member shall compel staff to engage in partisan political activities or be
subjected to
threats or discrimination for refusing to engage in such
activities.
2. No
member shall use, or attempt to use, their authority for the purpose of
intimidating,
threatening, coercing, commanding, or influencing any staff
member with the intent of
interfering in staff’s duties, including the
duty to disclose improper activity.
3. Members
shall be respectful of the role of staff to advise based on political
neutrality and
objectivity and without undue influence from any individual
member or faction of the
Council.
4. No
member shall maliciously or falsely impugn or injure the professional or
ethical
reputation or the prospects or practice of staff and all members
shall show respect for the
professional capacities of the staff of the
City.
Commentary
Members of
Council should expect a high quality of advice from staff based on political
neutrality and objectivity irrespective of party politics, the loyalties of
persons in power, or their personal opinions.
Members of
Council must recognize that only Council as a whole has the capacity to direct
staff members to carry out specific tasks or functions as provided in the
Municipal Act. The Administration, under the direction of the Chief
Administrative Officer, serves the Council as a whole, and the combined
interests of all members as expressed through the resolutions of Council. An
individual member should not request staff to undertake extensive work or
prepare lengthy reports, other than pursuant to a Council direction.
It is inappropriate for a member to attempt to influence staff to
circumvent normal processes in a matter, or overlook deficiencies in a file or
application. It is also inappropriate for members to involve themselves in
matters of administration or departmental management which fall within the
jurisdiction of the Chief Administrative Officer. Any such attempts should be
reported to the Integrity Commissioner.
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