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

WHEREAS subsection 93.1(7)(d) of The Municipalities Act states that the Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations prescribing rules or limitations regarding the censure or suspension of a member of council who has contravened a code of ethics adopted pursuant to this section.

WHEREAS the sample Code of Ethics Bylaw prepared by the Ministry of Government Relations only contemplates remedial actions as strong as suspension of a member of council for a Code of Ethics violation.

WHEREAS section 147 of The Municipalities Act states the reasons that a member of council may be disqualified, which include violations of section 142 (Public Disclosure Statements) and section 144 (Disclosure of Conflict of Interest) of the act, but not around matters relating to violations of Code of Ethics.

BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the provincial government to amend The Municipalities Act to contemplate members of council being disqualified from council as a remedial measure to the most severe violations of a Code of Ethics bylaw.