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ARTICLE · 21 JUNE 2021

Integrity Commissioner's Ruling Against Councillor Upheld, But Council Cannot Unreasonably Restrain His Ability To Communicate With Constituents

Gardiner Roberts LLP
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In general, politicians at all levels of government in Canada are required to either adhere to a Code of Conduct or are subject to integrity legislation.

CanadaLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Stephen Thiele
Stephen Thiele
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In general, politicians at all levels of government in Canada are required to either adhere to a Code of Conduct or are subject to integrity legislation. These Codes or statutory provisions are designed to ensure that elected officials carry out their duties ethically, responsibly and fairly. Where a politician is believed to breach his or her duties, complaints can be made to Integrity Commissioners, who can investigate the complaints and report their findings to their respective government. For municipal governments in Ontario, the authority to establish a code of conduct and to appoint an Integrity Commissioner is governed by the Municipal Act.1 Under this statute, a municipality can either issue a reprimand or suspend a councillor's pay for 90 days.

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