WHEREAS all rural municipalities are required to have a Code of Ethics bylaw, pursuant to Section 93.1 of The Municipalities Act.

WHEREAS aggrieved members of council, committees, controlled corporations or other bodies established by council who are not members of council, who, upon being made subject to remedial provisions of a municipal Code of Ethics bylaw, could pursue legal recourse against the municipality, rather than complying with the bylaw provisions.

WHEREAS such legal recourse taken against the municipality can cost the municipality greatly in terms of financial resources, human resources and morale.

WHEREAS municipalities placed in this situation can be there through no fault of their own, other than the legal requirement to have a Code of Ethics bylaw.

BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the provincial government to amend The Municipalities Act to add provisions for immunity for municipalities against litigation over their Code of Ethics bylaws, unless the aggrieved party can prove that such action was taken as a result of bad faith on the part of the municipality.