The Codes of Ethics and Conduct were on Council's agenda last night. Coumcillor Ballard is reluctant to surrender them.
His championing the week before of "exoneration" of the former Mayor's Conflict of Interest charge came to mind.
Immediately another image popped into my head , as clear as a bell.
The first in-camera meeting of the last term It started as it continued ..
The Mayor occupied a couch against the wall. Legs crossed, red shoes and red vinyl bag to match .
A bunch of keys the size if a fist went everywhere , thrown down on a desk or table, a burgeoning paper file folder bearing the name of whoever was being hunted down at the time.
The first thing she did as Mayore was make the rounds of the town hall. Employees were informed of the Mayor's list and told to be careful who they picked as friends.
Council learned at the first in-camera meeting of the invasion of the Mayor's privacy by the former Mayor during the previous term and the need to retain legal counsel.
"I am certainly not spending my money" she vowed. .
Council approved.
We learned of the first lawyer . And we knew of the last one How many in-between we had no idea. Nor were any communications ever shared.
Akmostas many lawyers hit the dust as employees.
If advice was not as expected or required, or an argument in court or elsewhere not won, expressions of outrage were heard and a vow not to use that one again.
John Mascarin lasted longest of any.
On the day, the decision of the infamous SLAPP action ( actually at 1.30 a/m the following morning,) it's said the Mayor consulted and was advised by phone, against advice of the town solicitor, it was permissible for an elected representative to sue members of the community.
Councillor Ballard's obvious idol worship of the former Mayor and willingness to use the Council table to champion the cause helps to keep the images fresh.
In the last term, of the last century, former Councillor Morris introduced a Code of Ethics to Aurora Council.
No special reason. No corruption suggested.
Except by argument for the need of a Code of Ethics.
Ethics morphed into a Code of Conduct after the former Mayor met lawyer Rust D'Eye at the AMO conference in Ottawa.
Mr. Rust D'Eye advised the Mayor, she said, A Code of Conduct combined with appointment of an Integrity Commissioner and the potential for imposing penalties on a Councillor who believed she had a right to exercise personal judgement was welcome news to the gang of six.
"I need no instruction from anyone? said Councillor Mac Eachern.
"Let's get at it" said Councillor Granger, echoed immdiately by Councillor Wilson. .
Ethics are an interesting concept. Everybody it seems has their own ideas of what constitutes integrity.
I never understood the former Mayor's understanding or why she conducted herself the way she did.
Cant catch the drift of Councillor Ballard's conduct either.
I'll just stick to the ones I know best
Wednesday, 20 February 2013
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11 comments:
The Code of Conduct is sort of like the debate around the RIDE program a number of years ago.
"Why should I be pulled over without reason" was the standard justification against it. The usual retort was "If you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about".
The Code of Conduct debate resonates with the same tone. If you have not done anything wrong, then the Code of Conduct should not be a factor.
When you have people get on the defence against the CoC, they appear to be hiding guilt (be it past, present or future). But I will say it again, if you have not done anything wrong, then the Code of Conduct should not have an impact on you.
Companies and organizations around the world are instituting Codes of Conduct and Codes of Ethics. Not because they think there is a problem, but to ensure that if there is a problem in the future, they have a mechanism to deal with it.
I'm not sure if this is helpful to you. In the leaked staff version of those events that I was given, one of that lot said "l Let's get Evelyn. She is poor & needs the money."
That might answer your question about motives?
Clr. Ballard drifts a lot. He is probably at sea in a pea green boat. Hopefully it will one day spring a leak and then he will have to swim through shark-infested waters to sanctuary on some deserted island where he can speak to himself until even he gets tired of that.
The former mayor is beyond understanding, and as for her conduct... I leave that to your readers' imagination.
The above two people require codes of conduct in order to run their lives fairly normally. Otherwise they keep bouncing off walls.
1:43 is a very angry person to wish that on anyone. What has he done to you?
Yup. 12:03. And Aurora's Farmers' Market was rife with potential problems. Get over your righteousness.
Methinks the Councillor & his 2 buddies should spend their time working on the Rules of Procedure before they go after the Conduct of their fellow councillors. It boggles that both Councillor Gallo & Councillor Gaertner are still getting the basics wrong after all their ' years of experience '.
how is it people like 12:03 think a code of conduct is required to hold near and dear when all you need to do is reflect back to October 25 ,2010.
The public are more than able to separate the wheat from the chaff, so save your breath and $ and learn from the past and not some silly nursery rhyme starting with thou shall not!
The 2013 farmers market has a code now.
To Feb 20 12:03pm
That is a fairly simplistic argument – “If you have not done anything wrong, then the Code of Conduct should not be a factor”.
It very well depends on the Code doesn’t it and what you are trying to control and the “punishments” for getting out of line. Should we expand that same statement for other laws and have it that you are guilty until proven innocent. So just don’t do or be suspected of doing anything wrong. Stay in line or else! Are we to live in a totalitarian state.
In regards to companies and organizations implementing their own codes – yes it seems rampant that they are protecting themselves for the aftermath of an incident and they are broadcasting their warnings. They do it to cover their backsides and their lawyers told them to do it.
It’s down to the extent that hockey, soccer and other sports’ parents have to be warned by their respective organizations by a code as to how to behave on the sidelines. And that the players (kids) have to have a code as to how to treat their fellow players, competition and the referees. It seems that people don’t know the difference between right and wrong unless it is written in the code. But what happens if someone steps out of line and it’s not covered by the code. Then we re-write or edit the code to cover that incident and the next and the next.
We should all know what is right and what is wrong – it is doing what is right that is the difficulty. (So we better have a code for that!)
Do we shake our fists and shout "You treat me with respect because I have a code that says that's what you are to do"?
I don’t need a code to tell me how to treat others with respect and dignity and to do what is right. It's just what I always try my best to do.
dear mr/mrs 10:29am
I think that your comparison of ethics to respect is misguided and equally simplistic.
They are not the same thing.
Really 1:05pm That’s what you think my “comparison of ethics to respect is misguided and equally simplistic. They are not the same thing.”
Did I say they were the same thing. I don’t think so – but they are closely tied together. A simple Google search of “respect and ethics” or do you prefer “ethics and respect” will give you all that you need.
Please educate me – I am open to new ideas but it’s too easy to throw out a statement without a proof without context or an argument for or against – please show me the error in my ways. Please show me how I am misguided and simplistic. How are respect and ethics autonomous ideas. If you can show me a valid argument then I’ll “respect” your opinion.
(Besides most of what I spoke of and the 1st poster spoke of were Codes of Conduct - so be it).
I am at least intrigued to learn more and share ideas.
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