A Code of Ethical Conduct
The City of Vaughan now has a Code of Ethical Conduct for Members of Council. The code, which took effect November 2, is one of the most progressive and comprehensive municipal codes of its kind in the country. It is a living document that will evolve and change over time.
The purpose of the Code is to serve as a guide for the behaviour and actions expected of Members of Council. It is also a serious commitment to accountability and responsible and ethical conduct. In adopting this Code, Council Members recognize that as community leaders they are held to a higher standard and their conduct must reflect this.
This Code is the result of lengthy consideration and deliberations, in consultation with both the former and current Integrity Commissioners who reviewed numerous Codes of Conduct from other jurisdictions. The result is this Code of Ethical Conduct which consists of 21 rules and includes a commentary, which provides explanations and examples to create a better understanding of what each rule means.
October 28, 2009 Update |
Over the summer months, members of the public were encouraged to offer comments on the Code to the Office of the Integrity Commissioner. Where appropriate, some of these comments have been incorporated into the Code. The role of the Integrity Commissioner is to enforce the Code, and to educate and make sure that Councillors have a full understanding of the practical meaning and day-to-day application of the rules.
The implementation phase of the Code involved two workshops for Members of Council held in October. The workshops included an Ethics Presentation by Suzanne Craig, the City of Vaughan Integrity Commissioner; a presentation by Lynn Morrison, the Integrity Commissioner, Province of Ontario; an overview of both the Informal and Formal Complaint Process; and Sample Scenarios. Thegoal was to help Members of Council understand what ethics are and make sure they understand their responsibilities under the new rules.
Accountability and transparency are two of the core values of our Vaughan Vision 2020. The Integrity Commissioner and the Code both show the public that the City recognizes the importance of ethical behaviour and is committed to an open and accessible government.
The Accountability and Transparency Committee was established during this term of Council to review policies and practices pertaining to confidentiality, accountability and transparency issues as they relate to City Council. Among its responsibilities was the hiring of an Integrity Commissioner, establishing a complaint procedure and creating an updated Code of Ethical Conduct for Members of Council.