MUNICIPAL COUNCILS NEED LESS LEEWAY NOT MORE

Back on January 10/18 the Waterloo Region Record carried the following story titled "Changes allow more closed-door meetings". The problem is, somewhat misusing a military term:, "mission creep". Give many municipal councils an inch and they'll take a mile. Here in Woolwich Township it took myself back in 2015 making a formal complaint to the Ontario Ombudsman in order to rein in Woolwich Council. They routinely hid under the legal exceptions to open, public meetings to discuss things that either were embarassing to themselves politically or that simply they did not want out for public consumption or discussion. They were unaccountable and they knew it. I fully expect that they are still playing games as they always have albeit just a little more carefully.

The Ontario government changed municipal law at the start of this month to allow municipalities to discuss in private things like trade, financial and technical secrets, negotiations and information from senior governments. Really? Exactly what do our towns and cities have to do with trade, financial and technical secrets? Universities I could understand. Private or government "think tanks" perhaps, but municipal governments? As far as negotiations go certainly labour negotiations with their unionized staff is appropriate in private. Negotiations with suppliers I'm a little more concerned about. While the final deals and purchases need to be public information; accountability of buyers and purchasing agents is important to maintain public confidence in the integrity and honesty of the process. Lastly information from senior governments is also problematic. What we absolutely don't need is new rules, regulations or interpretations from the senior levels of government (regional, provincial, federal) either being ignored by some municipalities or intentionally misinterpreted or even simply kept secret from the public.

This new legislation has a funny odour to it. Is this our Liberal provincial government once more handing out goodies in hopes of getting last minute support prior to the upcoming provincial election this year?