“
It is important that we develop
effective systems for monitoring
how politicians and public-sector
employees are paid and how they
spend public funds.
authority Metrolinx, Fenn
“Rather than expecting
argues that municipal
accountability officers to
accountability
officers,
take over accountability
such as mandatory integ-
functions from electors
rity commissioners, must
by imposing harsh penal-
tread cautiously.
ties such as removal from
“My personal view is
office, we should see them
that you need to show
as people who can help
a great deal of restraint
municipal voters make
when you start to engage
informed decisions,” the
in reviewing the perfor- John Fleming
paper said.
mance of democratically
John Fleming, a former
elected local governments that are
Ontario deputy minister and former
accountable to the electorate,” says
city manager of London who currently
Fenn. “I’m not panning ombudsmen
sits as the integrity commissioner
or integrity commissioners or audi-
for Caledon, disagrees. In general,
tors, but they have a lot of authority
municipal accountability officers
and a significant responsibility and
have limited authority other than that
they need to exercise it with consider-
required to make declarations and
able restraint.”
non-binding recommendations. But
In April, a report by the Institute on
in Caledon, Fleming’s role as integrity
Municipal Finance and Governance
commissioner (IC) was set up to allow
at the University of Toronto’s Munk
him to impose sanctions.
School of Global Affairs concluded
“That is relatively unusual,”
the same.
Fleming says. “In most cases, the IC
”
makes a recommendation to council
about imposing a sanction, which I
think has some weaknesses in it.”
The Munk report said that the
limited authority of accountability
officers is a virtue that makes it pos-
sible for informal, non-adversarial
ways of proceeding with complaints:
“Nevertheless, the capacity of these
officers to influence public opinion
about the performance of municipal
officials is very high; the effect of such
influence on individual electoral and
bureaucratic careers should not be
underestimated.” The Munk report
raised concerns about due process,
such as identifying complainants.
Integrity commissioners, who
investigate and report on elected
municipal officials’ adherence to
codes of conduct, were initially man-
datory only for the City of Toronto.
Seventy-five of Ontario’s 444 munici-
palities have adopted the role and
it will soon be required for all. Rick
MUNICIPAL MONITOR
11