Winnipeg, MB - A three member panel of Council will review applications and recommend to Executive Policy Committee for Council's approval the appointment of Winnipeg's first Integrity Commissioner, Mayor Brian Bowman announced today.
The panel will be chaired by Deputy Mayor Mike Pagtakhan who will be joined by Speaker Devi Sharma and Councillor Matt Allard.
“The appointment of an Integrity Commissioner is long overdue and it’s great to see the progress on the road to implementing the City of Winnipeg’s first Integrity Commissioner,” said Mayor Brian Bowman. ”This is one of many steps being taken at City Hall to ensure more openness and transparency for the public and Councillors.”
The selection panel will review applications and report back to Executive Policy Committee with a recommendation for Council’s review and approval.
Once selected, the Integrity Commissioner will be provided with a yearly retainer fee in the amount of $25,000.00. In addition to the retainer, the Integrity Commissioner will be paid an hourly fee for service to a maximum of $200.00 per hour. The annual budget for the Office of the Integrity Commissioner will be set at $100,000 per year for ongoing operations and will be referred to the budget process.
The Office of Integrity Commissioner will provide a transparent, accessible, and open process through which Councillors and members of the public may report or receive information on perceived conflicts of interest by a sitting member of Council. Several municipalities in Canada have implemented similar commissioners and offices.
The Integrity Commissioner will report directly to Council, will be appointed by Council for a minimum two-year renewable term, and will be required to publish an annual report of its activities. The Integrity Commissioner will not be permitted to be a City of Winnipeg employee. The Integrity Commissioner would have authority to investigate matters raised relating to members of Council. It will not have authority to investigate City of Winnipeg employees whose activities are currently covered by the City of Winnipeg Employee Code of Conduct.
Last year, Council adopted a motion introduced by Mayor Bowman and second by Councillor Jenny Gerbasi to prepare a process and implementation plan to create an Office of Ethics Commissioner within the maximum authority provided for under the existing City of Winnipeg Charter. A cross jurisdictional review determined that municipalities in Ontario who have implemented similar offices have referred to the position as an Integrity (rather than an Ethics) Commissioner.
The City of Winnipeg Charter Act currently does not specifically provide investigative authority nor identify appropriate penalties for breaching relevant policy, by-laws, or Acts. As such, changes continue to be recommended to The City of Winnipeg Charter in order to specifically grant the Integrity Commissioner investigative powers, and identify appropriate penalties.