VIEWPOINT
Acting in accordance with AMCTO’ s Code of Ethics and Values is an achievement worthy of a gold medal
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6 Q4 2016 www. amcto. com foundation of sportsmanship and the“ glory of sport.” I’ m well aware that there have been( and will likely continue to be) similar scandals in other sporting events, but none of these events have a similar oath sworn by one athlete on behalf of all. The fact that some athletes were presumably comfortable with blatantly disregarding the principles of the Athletes’ Oath is something that I find difficult to accept. In my mind, it’ s not enough to just be aware of the words, you need to take them to heart and live by them.
In its own way, the same can be said about AMCTO’ s Code of Ethics and Values. As municipal professionals, our members must not only be aware of what is contained within the Code, they must also be committed to abiding by it. And while all aspects of the Code are important, in my opinion the provisions around maintaining professionalism, integrity and trust and maintaining political neutrality are paramount.
There is little doubt in my mind that, as municipal professionals, we have all been faced with situations where our commitment to professionalism and / or political neutrality has been challenged. In the politicized and very public environment in which we work, the recommendations and advice that we need to provide as qualified professionals are not always politically or publicly favoured. And while it may be tempting to take the easier path and mold our recommendations and advice so that they are more favourably received, doing so is a disservice to the municipal profession.
As professionals, it is incumbent on each of us to ensure that our actions on a daily basis reflect the high standards that are expected of municipal professionals and AMCTO members. I don’ t for a moment think that any of you are not living up to these standards but I do think that we need to continue working on demonstrating to our politicians and the public that we act with integrity and professionalism every day. Acting in accordance with AMCTO’ s Code of Ethics and Values may not exactly be“ for the glory of sport and the honour of our teams,” but it is still a gold-medal worthy achievement.