At the Monday April 17, 2023 Corporate & Finance Committee meeting I asked that my motion concerning BILL 5, STOPPING ABUSE AND HARASSMENT BY LOCAL LEADERS (CF-23-22) be pulled from the table as Bill 5 is proceeding to Second Reading in the Ontario Legislature on May 16th.
Last month my fellow Committee members voted to table it for more information. I believed the time was right for it to be approved now, especially when so many other Ontario municipalities have been giving it unanimous support. I tried explaining why I supported it, why former Premier Kathleen Wynne made a delegation to Richmond Hill Council a few weeks ago in support and that many Ontario women have worked to try and ensure it is ratified by the Province.
As the website for THE WOMEN OF ONTARIO SAY NO movement makes clear, currently "there are a lack of tools holding councillors accountable for workplace harassment....the most severe penalty that can be imposed on a municipal councillor is the suspension of pay for 90 days. There is no current process for removing councillors from office, even when egregious acts are committed and substantiated."
Some of my colleagues spoke about the word "egregious" and that the City's Integrity Commissioner will be updating Oshawa Council's code of conduct. From my perspective it seems they missed the point. The motion is about City of Oshawa elected leaders supporting a law that would empower the Integrity Commissioner to ask the courts to determine if workplace harassment has taken place that is so egregious a Council member has more than a 90 day suspension! Like in the most other jobs, findings of abuse and harassment can lead to firing.
BUT THE MOTION WAS AGAIN REFERRED, this time to staff.
Question: Why is Oshawa not joining the list of 69 Ontario municipalities so far supporting this Bill?
The following have formally voted in favour of Bill 5 and the list is growing (screen capture taken from The Women of Ontario Say No website)
Last month my fellow Committee members voted to table it for more information. I believed the time was right for it to be approved now, especially when so many other Ontario municipalities have been giving it unanimous support. I tried explaining why I supported it, why former Premier Kathleen Wynne made a delegation to Richmond Hill Council a few weeks ago in support and that many Ontario women have worked to try and ensure it is ratified by the Province.
As the website for THE WOMEN OF ONTARIO SAY NO movement makes clear, currently "there are a lack of tools holding councillors accountable for workplace harassment....the most severe penalty that can be imposed on a municipal councillor is the suspension of pay for 90 days. There is no current process for removing councillors from office, even when egregious acts are committed and substantiated."
Some of my colleagues spoke about the word "egregious" and that the City's Integrity Commissioner will be updating Oshawa Council's code of conduct. From my perspective it seems they missed the point. The motion is about City of Oshawa elected leaders supporting a law that would empower the Integrity Commissioner to ask the courts to determine if workplace harassment has taken place that is so egregious a Council member has more than a 90 day suspension! Like in the most other jobs, findings of abuse and harassment can lead to firing.
BUT THE MOTION WAS AGAIN REFERRED, this time to staff.
Question: Why is Oshawa not joining the list of 69 Ontario municipalities so far supporting this Bill?
The following have formally voted in favour of Bill 5 and the list is growing (screen capture taken from The Women of Ontario Say No website)
I found the committee's 'refer to staff motion' inexplicable.
This matter is about whether Oshawa Council member support or are opposed to the Province enacting a process that could have elected members removed from Municipal Office when a Court finds an elected member committed egregious acts of abuse and harassment.
IT IS A POLITICAL MATTER TO BE DECIDED BY THE ELECTED WHO ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PUBLIC, NOT STAFF.
Considering it is a wholly political matter, well, when the staff report the Corporate and Finance Services Committee voted for comes back, it will likely 1st describe what any elected can find out themselves by reading BILL 5 on-line (its not long) https://www.ola.org/.../bills/parliament-43/session-1/bill-5 and then recommend that Council can decide to support it or not.
I very much appreciate those who have called and written me expressing their understanding of this matter and encouragement.
But a further problem is that any REFERRAL MOTION, under the City of Oshawa Council Procedural By-law, BLOCKS FURTHER DISCUSSION until the matter comes back.
So at the May 1st, 2023 Council meeting when the referral is on the agenda, no comments can be made other than 'timing and direction'.
Of course I hope Bill 5 passes 2nd and 3rd reading and receives Royal Assent in the Legislature.
But I will always remember feeling very alone on Oshawa Council on this issue WHEN SPEAKING UP SAYING WE SHOULD SUPPORT DOING THIS.
There is an Oshawa Council meeting May 1st.
Any who want to see Oshawa support Bill 5 can help by making it known to Oshawa Council before the May 1st Council meeting by sending an email to:
[email protected] and c.c.ing [email protected]; Jennifer French [email protected] and Todd McCarthy [email protected]
This matter is about whether Oshawa Council member support or are opposed to the Province enacting a process that could have elected members removed from Municipal Office when a Court finds an elected member committed egregious acts of abuse and harassment.
IT IS A POLITICAL MATTER TO BE DECIDED BY THE ELECTED WHO ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PUBLIC, NOT STAFF.
Considering it is a wholly political matter, well, when the staff report the Corporate and Finance Services Committee voted for comes back, it will likely 1st describe what any elected can find out themselves by reading BILL 5 on-line (its not long) https://www.ola.org/.../bills/parliament-43/session-1/bill-5 and then recommend that Council can decide to support it or not.
I very much appreciate those who have called and written me expressing their understanding of this matter and encouragement.
But a further problem is that any REFERRAL MOTION, under the City of Oshawa Council Procedural By-law, BLOCKS FURTHER DISCUSSION until the matter comes back.
So at the May 1st, 2023 Council meeting when the referral is on the agenda, no comments can be made other than 'timing and direction'.
Of course I hope Bill 5 passes 2nd and 3rd reading and receives Royal Assent in the Legislature.
But I will always remember feeling very alone on Oshawa Council on this issue WHEN SPEAKING UP SAYING WE SHOULD SUPPORT DOING THIS.
There is an Oshawa Council meeting May 1st.
Any who want to see Oshawa support Bill 5 can help by making it known to Oshawa Council before the May 1st Council meeting by sending an email to:
[email protected] and c.c.ing [email protected]; Jennifer French [email protected] and Todd McCarthy [email protected]