CODE OF CONDUCT FOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL

1.0

Preamble

The Council of the City of Burlington is committed to achieving exemplary standards of conduct in its
actions which are essential to maintaining and ensuring public trust and confidence in the Citys decision
making and operations. Members of Council of the City of Burlington will act in an accountable and
responsible manner with integrity and fairness.
2.0

Purpose

The City of Burlington Council Code of Conduct serves four main purposes:

To set out clear expectations of the behaviour of members of Council;

To provide information to the public as to the behaviour they can expect from members
of Council
To provide guidance to members of Council in the conduct of their duties as elected
officials; and
To provide a mechanism for responding to alleged breaches of the Code.

The City of Burlington Council Code of Conduct contains guidelines which supplement existing federal,
provincial legislation and regulations regarding the behaviour of elected officials. Examples of these
include the Criminal Code of Canada, Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, the Municipal Act, the Municipal
Elections Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Municipal Freedom of Information and
Protection of Privacy Act. There are other city policies that guide the conduct of members of Council
including the Procurement by-law and related policies, hiring policies and Information Technology
policies. Commentary and examples have been created to assist Members in applying this Code they are
included as Appendix A.
3.0

Definitions

For the purposes of this Code,

City means the Corporation of the City of Burlington.
Clerk means the City Clerk or his/her designate for the City of Burlington.
Code means this Council Code of Conduct as it applies to members of Council of the City of Burlington.
complaint means an alleged contravention of the Code.
Council means the Council of the City of Burlington.
family member means a parent, spouse, or child of a Member, as defined in the Municipal Conflict of
Interest Act.
gifts and benefits means any cash or monetary equivalent, fee, object of value, service, travel and
accommodation or entertainment.

hospitality means instances where there is entertainment of or by outside parties for the furtherance of
municipal business.
Integrity Commissioner means the Integrity Commissioner appointed by the Council of the City of
Burlington.
member means a member of Council of the City of Burlington and includes the Mayor.
Municipal Property means all items, services or resources which are the property of the City including
but not limited to: materials, equipment, financial assets, land, vehicles, material documents whether in
hard or digital/electronic form, inventories, tools, electronic equipment, computers, electronic mail, internet
services and intellectual property.
office means the authority and duties attached to the position of being an elected member.
4.0

Application and Responsibilities

This Code applies to all members of the Council of the City of Burlington
It is the responsibility of all members to be aware of and comply with the Code.
5.0

General Integrity

6.0

Members of Council are committed to performing their functions with integrity, accountability and
transparency.
Members of Council are responsible for complying with all applicable legislation, by-laws and
policies pertaining to their position as an elected official.
Members of Council recognize that the public has a right to open government and transparent
decision-making.
Members of Council shall at all times serve and be seen to serve the interests of the
municipality in a conscientious and diligent manner and shall approach decision-making with an
open mind.
Members of Council shall avoid the improper use of the influence of their office.
Members of Council shall not attempt to influence or interfere with, either directly or indirectly,
financially, politically or otherwise employees, officers or other persons performing duties under
the Provincial Offences Act.
Where a member of Council is involved in an issue outside the Members own ward, the
member will inform the ward Councillor of such involvement.
Confidential Information

By way of their office, Members of Council acquire confidential information from a variety of different
sources including confidential personal information related to constituents who have contacted their
office. Confidential information includes information in the possession of, or received in confidence by the
City, that the City is either prohibited from disclosing, or is required to refuse to disclose under the
Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). Members of Council shall not
use information that is obtained in his or her capacity as a member and that is not available to the general

public to further or seek to further the members private interest or improperly to further or seek to further
another persons private interest.
In accordance with the rules under MFIPPA and the Procedure By-law, Members of Council shall not:
a. Where a matter has been discussed in camera, and where the matter remains confidential,
disclose the content of the matter or the substance of the deliberations of the in camera meeting;
and
b. Disclose or release by any means to any member of the public, any confidential information
acquired by virtue of their office, in either oral or written form, except when required by law or
authorized by Council to do so.
7.0

Conduct at Council/Committee Meetings

Members of Council shall conduct themselves with decorum at all City Council and Committee meetings
in accordance with the provisions of the Procedure By-law and this Code.
Members shall endeavour to conduct and convey Council business and all their duties in an open and
transparent manner other than for those decisions which by virtue of legislation are authorized to be dealt
with in a confidential manner in closed session, and in so doing, allow the public to view the process and
rationale which was used to reach decisions and reasons for taking certain actions.
8.0

Respect for Decision-making Process

Members shall not attempt to influence the decision-making process as it relates to the award of contracts
or settlement of claims through personal contact or interaction with the parties administering or directly
involved in such processes. These matters are dealt with in more detail through the Procurement
By-law and the Insurance Claims Handling Protocol.
Employees are responsible for providing professional advice, are bound by the decisions of the Council or
Local Board, respectively, and shall not be requested to take any action contrary to such decisions.
9.0

Release of Information to Public and Media

Members of Council are expected to accurately communicate the decisions of City Council, even if they
disagree with the majority decision, and by so doing affirm the respect for the integrity of the decisionmaking processes of Council.
10.0

Respectful Workplace

All members of Council have a duty to treat members of the public, one another and staff with respect
and without abuse, bullying or intimidation, and to ensure that their work environment is free from
discrimination and harassment. Members of Council must ensure compliance with the Ontario Human
Rights Code, Respect in the Workplace policy and the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
11.0

Use of Municipal Property and Resources

In order to fulfill their roles as elected representatives, Members of Council have access to municipal
resources such as property, equipment, services, staff and supplies. No Member of Council shall use, or

permit the use of City land, facilities, equipment, supplies, services, staff or other resources (for example,
City-owned materials or websites, or funds included in the Member of Council Expense Budget) for
activities other than purposes connected with the discharge of Council duties or City business.
No Member shall obtain financial gain from the use or sale of City-developed intellectual property,
computer programs, technological innovations, or other patent, trademark, copyright held by the City.
12.0

Conduct Respecting Staff

City Council as a whole has the authority to approve budget, policy, governance and other such matters.
Under the direction of the City Manager, city staff serves Council as a whole and the combined interests
of all members as evidenced through the decisions of Council.
Members of Council shall be respectful of the role of staff to provide advice based on political neutrality
and objectivity and without undue influence from an individual Member or Members of Council.
Council is expected to:
(a) represent the public and to consider the well-being and interests of the municipality;
(b) develop and evaluate the policies and programs of the municipality;
(c) determine which services the municipality provides;
(d) ensure that administrative policies, practices and procedures and controllership policies,
practices and procedures are in place to implement the decisions of Council;
(e) ensure the accountability and transparency of the operations of the municipality, including the
activities of the senior management of the municipality;
(f) maintain the financial integrity of the municipality; and
(g) carry out the duties of Council under the Municipal Act, 2001 or any other Act.
Municipal staff is expected to:
(a) implement Councils decisions and establish administrative practices and procedures to carry
out Councils decisions;
(b) undertake research and provide advice to Council on the policies and programs of the
municipality; and
(c) carry out other duties required under the Municipal Act, 2001 or any Act and other duties
assigned by the municipality.
Members of Council shall not:

Maliciously, falsely or otherwise inappropriately injure the professional or ethical reputation, or

the prospects or practice of staff;
Compel staff to engage in partisan political activities or be subjected to threats or discrimination
for refusing to engage in such activities; or
Use, or attempt to use, their authority or influence for the purpose of intimidating, threatening,
coercing, commanding or influencing any staff member with the intent of interfering in staffs
duties.

13.0

Expenses

Members of Council are provided with a budget with which to run their offices. Expenses include items
such as: general entertainment, professional development, advertising and promotion, meeting expenses,
office supplies, and transportation and technology requirements. The Council Expense Manual outlines
the specifics of how expenses are to be handled and disclosed.
Members of Council are required to comply with the Council Expense Manual and related procedures and
guidelines and ensure that conditions related to each expense are met.
14.0

Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality

Members of Council are expected to represent the public and the interests of the municipality and to do
so with both impartiality and objectivity. The acceptance of a gift, benefit or hospitality can imply
favouritism, bias or influence on the part of the Member. At times, the acceptance of a gift, benefit or
hospitality occurs as part of the social protocol or community events linked to the duties of an elected
official and their role in representing the municipality.
Members of Council shall not accept gifts that would appear to be in gratitude for influence or to induce
influence. For these purposes, a gift, benefit or hospitality provided with the Members knowledge to a
family member or to a Members staff, that is connected directly or indirectly to the performance of the
Members duties is deemed to be a gift to that Member.
Members of Council are not precluded from accepting:
(a) compensation authorized by law;
(b) such gifts or benefits that normally accompany the responsibilities of office and are received
as an incident of protocol or social obligation;
(c) a political contribution under the Municipal Elections Act;
(d) a memento of a function honouring the member;
(e) where a member is speaking or attending an event in an official capacity, the food, lodging,
transportation and entertainment provided by provincial, regional and local governments or
political subdivisions of them, by the federal government or by a foreign government within a
foreign country, or by a conference, seminar or event organizer;
(f) food and beverages consumed at banquets, receptions or similar events, if:
1. attendance serves a legitimate business purpose;
2. the person extending the invitation or a representative of the organization is in
attendance; and
3. the value is reasonable and the invitations infrequent;
(g) communication to the offices of a member, including subscriptions to newspapers and
periodicals;
(h) gifts of a nominal value (e.g. baseball cap, t-shirt, flash drive, book, etc).

In the case of exceptions claimed under categories b, d, e, f, g, h where the value of the gift or benefit
exceeds $25, or if the total value received from any one source during the course of a calendar year
exceeds $25, the Members shall within 30 days of receipt of the gift or reaching the annual limit, list the
gift or benefit on a Councillor Information Statement in the prescribed form and file it with the City Clerk.
This information will be posted on the website with Councillors expenses.
Members are permitted to receive up to two tickets to a dinner or a fundraising event, as long as the
Member is attending only one such event as a gift from the same individual or corporation within any
calendar year.
15.0

Fundraising, Community Events and Donations

This Code recognizes that as community leaders, Members of Council may lend their support to and
encourage, community donations to registered charitable organizations and not for profit groups. Monies
raised through fundraising efforts shall go directly to the groups or volunteers and chapters acting as local
organizers of the group. This Code recognizes the important work of Members of Council in supporting
charitable causes and the need for transparency in Members involvement.
This Code sets the following additional guiding principles for Members of Council
(a) Members of Council should not directly or indirectly manage or control any monies
received relating to a charitable, not for profit or community-based organizations
fundraising in their capacity as a member of Council.
(b) A Member of Council or a third party acting on behalf of the Member shall not solicit nor
accept support in any form from an individual, group or corporation with a pending
matter, such as but not limited to, a planning or demolition application, partnership
agreement, tender or Request for Proposals before Burlington City Council.
(c) With reference to Member-Organized Community Events, Members of Council must keep
a record of the names of all donors and the value of their donation that supplements the
event and file it with the City Clerk.
(d) Donation cheques shall not be made out to a Member of Council.
Nothing included herein affects the entitlement of a Member of Council to:

16.0

Use their office expense budget to run or support community events subject to the terms
of the Councillor Expense Policy.
Urge constituents, businesses and other groups to support community events and
advance the needs of a charitable organization;
Play an advisory or membership role in any organization that holds community events.

Use of Resources for Election Purposes

Members of Council shall conduct themselves in accordance with the Municipal Elections Act, and the
Citys Use of Corporate Resources during an Municipal Election Policy. The use of municipal resources,
both actual municipal property and staff time, for election-related activity is strictly prohibited. The
prohibition applies to both the promotion and opposition to the candidacy of a person for elected office.
Election-related activity applies not only to a Members personal campaign for office, but also other
campaigns for municipal, provincial and federal office.

17.0

Compliance with the Code of Conduct

Members of Council shall adhere to the provisions of the Code of Conduct. The Municipal Act, 2001
authorizes Council, where it has received a report by its Integrity Commissioner that, in his or her opinion,
there has been a violation of the Code of Conduct, may impose either of the following penalties:

A reprimand;
Suspension of the remuneration paid to the member in respect of his or her services as a
member of Council or a local board, as the case may be, for a period of up to 90 days.

The Integrity Commissioner may also recommend that Council impose any of the following sanctions
where there has been a breach of policy, separately established but referenced in this Code:

18.0

Written or verbal public apology;

Return of property or reimbursement of its value or of monies spent;
Removal from membership of a committee; and
Removal as chair of a committee.
Complaint of a Violation of this Code

Any individual that has reasonable grounds to believe that a Member has breached this Code, may file
a complaint with the City Clerk.

The Integrity Commissioner shall be responsible for investigating such complaints and if the parties are in
agreement, the complaint may be resolved by way of mediation.
If either party does not participate in the mediation process, if the complaint is not resolved through this
process, or the matter is not appropriate for referral to mediation, the Integrity Commissioner shall
assume responsibility for investigating the complaint in accordance with the procedures established by
Council.
In the case of a complaint of discrimination or harassment, the complainant may file a complaint directly
to the Human Resources Department under the City of Burlington Respect in the Workplace Policy. The
complainant will also be advised of his or her right to advance an application to the Ontario Human Rights
Tribunal.
18.1

Procedure Informal Complaint

Any individual who has identified or witnessed behaviour or activity by a member that appears to be in
contravention of the Code may address their concerns in the following manner:
1. Advise the member that their behaviour or activity contravenes the Code.
2. Encourage the member to stop the prohibited behaviour or activity.
3. If applicable, confirm to the member your satisfaction, or dissatisfaction with his or her response to
the concern identified.
4. Keep a written record of the incidents including dates, times, locations, other persons present, and
any other relevant information, including steps taken to resolve the matter.
5. If not satisfied with the response received through the informal process, an individual may proceed
with a formal complaint through the Integrity Commissioner.

18.2

Procedure Formal Complaint

Any individual who has identified or witnessed behaviour or activity by a member that appears to be in
contravention of the Code may address their concerns through the formal complaint process set out
below.
1. All formal complaints must be made using the Complaints Form prepared by the City Clerk and/or
Integrity Commissioner and shall be dated and signed by the Complainant.
2. The complaint must include an explanation as to why the issue raised may be a contravention of
the Code and any evidence in support of the allegation must be included with the Complaints
Form.
3. Any witnesses in support of the allegation must be identified on the Complaint Form.
4. The Complaint Form must include the name of the member alleged to have breached the Code,
the section of the Code allegedly contravened, the date, time and location of the alleged
contravention and any other information as required on the Complaint Form.
5. The complaint shall be filed with the Clerk who shall confirm that the required information is
complete. The Clerk will forward the complaint form to the Integrity Commissioner who will
determine whether the matter is, on its face, a complaint with respect to non-compliance with the
Code and not covered by other legislation or policies.
6. The Integrity Commissioner may request additional information from the complainant.
18.3

Response of Integrity Commissioner of Complaint outside Jurisdiction

If the complaint received by the Integrity Commissioner is deemed not to be a complaint with respect to
non-compliance with the Code, the Integrity Commissioner shall advise the complainant in writing as
follows:
Criminal Matter if the complaint is an allegation of a criminal nature consistent with the Criminal Code of
Canada, the complainant shall be advised that pursuit of such an allegation must be made through the
Halton Police Services.
Municipal Conflict of Interest if the complaint is an allegation with respect to matters under the Municipal
Conflict of Interest Act, the complainant shall be advised to review the matter with their own legal counsel.
Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy if the complaint is more appropriately
addressed under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the complainant
shall be referred to the Clerk to have the matter reviewed under the Act.
If the matter is covered by other policies or legislation, the complainant will be advised to proceed in a
manner as considered appropriate by the Integrity Commissioner.
18.4

Refusal to Conduct an Investigation

If upon review of a complaint, the Integrity Commissioner is of the opinion that the complaint is frivolous,
vexatious or not made in good faith, or that there are no or insufficient grounds for an investigation, the
Integrity Commissioner will not conduct an investigation and shall communicate this position in writing to
the complainant and the member identified in the Complaint Form.
18.5

Opportunity for Resolution

If at any time, following the receipt of a formal complaint or during the investigation process, the Integrity
Commissioner believes that an opportunity to resolve the matter may be successfully pursued without a

formal investigation, and both the complainant and the member agree, efforts may be made to achieve an
informal resolution.
18.6

Investigation

If the Integrity Commissioner determines that a formal investigation is required he or she shall proceed in
the following manner, subject to the Integrity Commissioners ability to elect to exercise the powers of a
commissioner under Parts I and II of the Public Inquiries Act.

18.7

The Integrity Commissioner shall provide a copy of the complaint and any supporting materials to
the member whose conduct is in question with a request that a written response to the allegation
be provided to the Integrity Commissioner within ten days.
The Integrity Commissioner shall provide a copy of the response provided by the member to the
complainant with a request for a written reply within ten days.
If necessary, after reviewing submitted materials, the Integrity Commissioner may speak to
anyone, access and examine any other documents or electronic materials, and may enter any
City work location relevant to the complaint for the purpose of investigation and potential
resolution.
The Integrity Commissioner may make interim reports to Council where necessary and as
required to address any issues of interference, obstruction, delay or retaliation encountered
during the investigation.
At any time the complainant may abandon the request for an investigation and the Integrity
Commissioner will cease his or her investigation.
Recommendation Report

Upon completion of an investigation, the Integrity Commissioner shall report to the complainant and the
member on the results of his or her review within ninety days of receiving a complete Complaint Form. If
the investigation process is going to take more than ninety days, the Integrity Commissioner shall provide
an interim report to the complainant and member indicating when the complete report will be available.
If during the investigation process, the complaint is withdrawn, sustained or resolved, the Integrity
Commissioner shall report to Council outlining the findings, and terms of any resolution and any
recommended action within thirty days.
If upon completion of the investigation the Integrity Commissioner finds that a breach of the Code has
occurred, the Commissioner shall report his or her findings to Council including a recommendation as to
the imposition of a penalty as set out in the Municipal Act. The Integrity Commissioner may also
recommend that Council make further sanctions as outlined in Section 17.0 of this Code.
If upon completion of the investigation the Integrity Commissioner finds that there has been no
contravention of the Code, or that a contravention occurred, however, the member took all reasonable
measures to prevent it, or the contravention committed was trivial or committed through inadvertence or
an error of judgment made in good faith, the Integrity Commissioner shall set this out in its report to
Council.
18.8

Reports Prior to Election

The Integrity Commissioner shall not make any report to Council or any other person after the last Council
meeting in June in any year in which a regular municipal election is to be held. Any reports would
proceed to the first Council meeting after the Inaugural meeting of the new Council.

19.9

Confidentiality

The Integrity Commissioner and every person acting under his or her instructions shall preserve the
confidentiality of all documents, materials or other information, whether belonging to the City or not, that
come into their possession or to their knowledge during the course of their duties as required by section
223.5 of the Municipal Act. Pursuant to section 223.5(3) of the Municipal Act, this section prevails of the
Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
If the Integrity Commissioner reports to Council on an investigation into an alleged breach of the Code,
the report shall only disclose such information that in the Integrity Commissioners opinion is required for
the purposes of the report.

Appendix A
Commentary and Examples
Below is commentary and examples that are meant to be illustrative and not exhaustive. From time to
time additional commentary and examples may be added to this document.
5.0

General Integrity

Members of Council are governed by the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act and in the event a complaint
under the Act is filed with the Court, the provisions of that statute takes precedence over any authority
given to the Integrity Commissioner.
Members of Council shall not participate in activities that grant, or appear to grant, any special
consideration, treatment or advantage to an individual which is not available to every other individual
member of the public.
The provisions of this Code are intended to be applied in concert with existing legislation and go beyond
the minimum standards of behaviour set out in current federal and provincial statutes.
To ensure the Code remains a living document that will remain current and continue to be a beneficial
guide, the Code shall be brought forward for review at the end of each term of Council, with any changes
to be implemented at the start of the following Council session.
6.0

Confidential Information

Members of Council recognize the publics right to reasonable access to information in relation to how
decisions are made. The publics right to access however must be balanced against the requirement to
protect the legitimate interests of the City and the respect for approved policies of the City.
7.0

Conduct at Council/Committee Meetings

A Member recognizes the importance of cooperation and strives to create an atmosphere during Council
and Committee meetings that is conducive to solving the issues before Council, listening to various points
of view and using respectful language and behaviour in relation to all of those in attendance.
8.0

Respect for Decision-Making Process

Decision-making authority lies with Council, and not with an individual Member. Members of Council
recognize that it is the role of the officers and employees of the City to implement Councils decisions and
to establish administrative practices and procedures to carry out Councils decisions. Council is the
source of all legislative authority and will make decisions on whether and to what extent to delegate this
authority to others. Only Council as a whole has the capacity to direct staff members. Council as a whole
must be able to access information in order to fulfill its decision-making duties and oversight
responsibilities however, individual Members of Council must also recognize that the information they
receive in their capacity as elected officials is subject to confidentiality and disclosure rules contained in
federal and provincial legislation, and City policies.

9.0

Release of Information to the Public and Media

A Member may state that he/she did not support a decision, or voted against the resolution. A Member
should refrain from making disparaging comments about other Members of Council or about Councils
processes and decisions.
When communicating with the media, a Member should at all times refrain from speculating or reflecting
upon the motives of other Members in respect of their actions as a Member of Council.
The media spokesperson for Council is the Mayor unless otherwise designated through an approved
communications plan.
While openness in government is critical, governments also must respect confidentiality when a matter
must remain, at least for a period of time, confidential. Breaches of confidentiality by Members erodes
public confidence.
10.0

Respectful Workplace

The City of Burlingtons Respect in the Workplace policy ensures a safe and respectful workplace
environment and provides for the appropriate management of any occurrences of harassment and
discrimination as those terms are defined in the policy.
The City of Burlingtons Respect in the Workplace policy applies equally to members of staff and
Members of Council.
12.0

Conduct Respecting Staff

Under the direction of the City Manager, staff serves the Council as a whole, and the combined interests
of all Members as evidenced through the decisions of Council. Only Council as a whole has the authority
to approve budget, policy, committee processes and other matters. Accordingly, Members shall direct
requests outside of Council-approved budget, process or policy to the appropriate Standing Committee.
In practical terms, there are distinct and specialized roles carried out by Council as a whole and by
Councillors when performing their other roles. The key requirements of these roles include dealing with
constituents and the general public, participating as standing committee members and chairs of standing
committees, and participating as Council representatives on agencies, boards, commissions and other
bodies. Similarly, there are distinct and specialized roles expected of City staff in both the carrying out of
their responsibilities and in dealing with the Council. Staff, are expected to provide information to
Members that they are entitled to. City staff are accountable to the City Manager who is accountable to
City Council. Members of Council must respect the difference between the two in making requests of
staff.
Members of Council should expect a high quality of advice from staff based on political neutrality and
objectivity irrespective of party politics, the loyalty of persons in power, or their personal opinions.
14.0

Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality

Gifts and benefits are often received by elected officials in the course of their duties and attendance of
public functions is expected and is considered part of their role. Business-related entertainment and giftgiving can be a token of respect and admiration for the elected official, but can also be seen as an
instrument of influence and manipulation. The object of this rule is to provide transparancy around the

receipt of incidental gifts and benefits and to establish a threshold where the total value could be
perceived as potentially influencing a decision.
The practical problems that nominal gifts and benefits create require a Code of Conduct that provides
clarity and transparency. Personal integrity and sound business practices require that relationships with
developers, vendors, contractors or others doing business with the City be such that no Member of
Council is perceived as showing favourtism or bias toward the giver.
Each Member of Council is individually accountable to the public and is encouraged to keep a list of all
gifts and benefits received from individuals, firms or associations, with estimated values, in their offices for
review by the Integrity Commissioner in the event of a complaint.
Those gifts or benefits that exceed $25 or the annual limit of $25 from one source need to be recorded on
a form prescribed by the Clerk and filed with the Clerk on a quarterly basis to ensure transparency.
Examples of gifts that are required to be listed on the Councillor Information Statement may include but
are not limited to:
i) Property (i.e. a book, flowers, gift baskets, painting or sculpture, furniture, wine);
ii) Membership in a club or other organization (i.e. a golf club) at a reduced rate or at no cost;
iii) An invitation to and/or tickets to attend an event (i.e. a sports event, concert, play) at a reduced rate or
no cost;
iv) An invitation to attend a gala or fundraising event at a reduced rate or at no cost
Use of real estate or significant assets or facilities (i.e. a vehicle, vacation property) at a reduced rate or at
no cost is not an acceptable gift or benefit.
Proper caution and diligence must however be exercised when a social function occurs within close
proximity to the individual having an issue before City Council or staff for approval. Any doubts about the
propriety of a gift should be resolved in favour of not accepting it.
An invitation to attend a function where the invitation is directly or indirectly connected with the Members
duties of office is not considered to be a gift but is the fulfillment of an official function or duty. An
invitation to attend a function with a developer or supplier, however, could be seen as allowing the giver
an opportunity to influence the elected official. Such invitations should only be accepted if the invitation is
within the scope of permissible gifts and benefits, meaning that Members should not consistently accept
invitations from the same individual or corporation and should avoid any appearance of favouritism.
For clarification, an invitation to an event celebrating the successful completion of a development or
project or the opening of a new business within the Members ward on the other hand could serve a
legitimate business purpose and be seen as part of the responsibilities of office provided the person
extending the invitation or that persons representative is in attendance.
An invitation to attend a charity golf tournament or fund-raising gala, provided the Member of Council is
not consistently attending such events as a guest of the same individual or corporation, may be part of
the responsibilities of holding public office. Likewise, accepting invitations to professional sports events,
concerts or dinners may serve a legitimate business purpose.

15.0

Fundraising, Community Events and Donations

Members should be transparent in their dealings with the public, and a Member of Council should not
handle funds on behalf of any organization. Members should remain at arms length from the financial
aspects of these events and initiatives.
Members may urge constituents, businesses and other groups to support community events put on by
others in the Members ward or elsewhere in the City.
Members may work with community groups to assist them in finding sponsors and participants to support
community events put on by the community group in the Members ward or elsewhere in the City.
Members may play an advisory or membership role in any organization that holds community events in
the Members ward.
By virtue of the office, Members of Council will be called upon to assist various charities, service clubs
and other non-profits as well as community associations, by accepting an honourary role in the
organization, lending their name, support or assisting in fundraising. Transparency and accountability are
best achieved in todays era by encouraging contributors to make donations to such organizations on-line
through a website or where that is not possible through a cheque made payable directly to the
organization. Cash shall not be accepted.