Amendments to the Local Government Act were introduced in the legislature on Thursday by Home Affairs Minister Nathan Cullen, who said he would help maintain public confidence in town halls across the county. “While we hope that compulsory leave and exclusion will not need to be exercised, these amendments will help reduce disturbance, maintain public confidence and ensure that local governments are able to stay focused on serving communities. “, he said in a statement. The amendments would immediately exclude local politicians if convicted of a criminal offense and put them on paid leave when charged with a criminal offense until the proceedings are completed or the charges resolved. It will also apply to regional principals, but not to school administrators, as they are governed by separate legislation. Theoretically, a politician could claim the post after he was convicted as soon as he served his sentence, but Cullen was skeptical of the outcome of any such situation. “There is a natural consequence for all of us who sit in elected office: you need the support of the electorate,” he said. “The cloud that would exist over such a person having made time for an offense, a very serious offense, to seek the trust of the public again, that would be an issue between him and the voters in their city or town.”
Changes have been requested for a long time
For years, local governments have been asking the province for mechanisms to tackle criminal policies, and the announcement was announced in advance by the Union of Municipalities of PK (UBCM).
“These amendments strike the right balance between justice and good governance,” said UBCM President Laurey-Anne Roodenburg.
The number of mayors and councilors in BC who are criminally charged during their tenure is low, but many of them have unequivocally refused to resign during the proceedings against them, often causing conflict in their communities.
They include the current mayor of Surrey, Doug McCallum, who did not take leave of absence following a criminal charge of public disorder last December for allegedly being hit by a vehicle outside a grocery store.
However, Cullen said McCallum could remain in power if the law is passed.
“It’s not retroactive. We are not passing laws in this place that return to influence decisions and choices made in the past,” he said.
Other recent examples in BC include Port Moody’s mayor Rob Vagramov, who initially took leave when he was accused of sexual assault in 2019, but briefly returned to office for several council meetings before leaving again after widespread criticism. (His charge eventually remained through the alternative measures process.)
In 2016, Pitt Meadows’s adviser, David Murray, remained on the council after being accused of sexual assault in 1992. After being convicted in 2017, he resigned only when asked to do so by the mayor.
