Nova Scotia residents are no longer allowed to lodge complaints against their municipal elected officials, a decision criticized as undemocratic by an advocate. The province recently implemented modifications to the municipal code of conduct, citing input from local governments. One significant change stipulates that complaints can only be initiated by a council member in the same municipality as the subject of the complaint.
Pam Mood, the president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities and mayor of the Town of Yarmouth, mentioned that certain municipalities experienced a surge in complaints following the introduction of the provincewide code. She emphasized the necessity for a clear definition of frivolous or vexatious complaints to ensure consistency among independent investigators tasked with handling municipal complaints.
Mood acknowledged the temporary removal of public complaints as a strategic decision by the province to reassess and refine the process. She stressed the importance of using the code of conduct appropriately, highlighting potential issues arising from personal biases or disagreements with council decisions.
The updated code also prohibits council members from submitting complaints on behalf of others and allows investigators to merge similar complaints for streamlined investigations. These changes were introduced around a month after complaints were lodged against Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore for alleged misinformation about a chief administrative officer’s role.
While complaints received before the recent changes will be processed as usual, new complaints will not be accepted. This move has raised concerns among residents like Peter Linfield, who believe it restricts public accountability unnecessarily. Notably, other provinces like Ontario and British Columbia permit public complaints against municipal officials.
Duff Conacher from Democracy Watch criticized the lack of public complaint avenues, deeming it undemocratic and unethical. He advocated for an independent provincial body to handle all municipal complaints for a fairer process. Municipal Affairs Minister John Lohr defended the changes, citing the need for ongoing improvements and collaboration with the municipal federation.
While Lohr did not commit to reinstating public complaints, he expressed willingness to enhance the code of conduct. Mood echoed the urgency of this collaborative effort while emphasizing that citizens can still hold council members accountable through the electoral process.
