That the Rules of Procedure be suspended to consider the following motion in order that Council may convey its support for Bill 5 to the Province of Ontario in time for Second Reading in the Legislature, presently scheduled for May 30, 2023.
WHEREAS on November 25, 2020, in response to two reports from the City of Ottawa Integrity Commissioner identifying issues of harassment at Ottawa City Hall, Ottawa City Council passed Motion 44/4 seeking revisions to the Municipal Act, 2001, that would provide for the vacating of the seat of a Member of Council who has been found on clear and convincing evidence to have committed serious misconduct, including any definitions necessary for the implementation of such a provision; and
WHEREAS on August 10, 2022, Ottawa MPP Stephen Blais reintroduced Bill 5, Stopping Harassment and Abuse by Local Leaders Act, 2022, to amend the Municipal Act, 2001 and the City of Toronto Act, 2006, to help stop harassment and abuse by local leaders; and
WHEREAS Bill 5 passed First Reading on August 10, 2022; and
WHEREAS on October 6, 2022, with Ottawa City Council’s support, the Mayor wrote to the Premier of Ontario in support of Bill 5, and asked that the Government of Ontario fast track the approval of the legislation and that a letter of support be sent to local MPPs, MPP Stephen Blais, the Premier, and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario; and
WHEREAS on November 9, 2022, Ottawa City Council received a report from the City of Ottawa Integrity Commissioner which identified additional incidents of workplace harassment, and which found a contravention of the Section of the Code of Conduct pertaining to Discrimination and Harassment; and
WHEREAS all employees are entitled to a safe and healthy workplace; and
WHEREAS the City of Ottawa’s commitment to preventing, protecting against, and addressing workplace violence and harassment is enshrined in the Workplace Violence and Harassment Policy; and
WHEREAS Bill 5 would require codes of conduct for council and its local boards to include a requirement that members comply with workplace violence and harassment policies established by the municipality or its local boards; and
WHEREAS the amendments under Bill 5 would also permit municipalities and local boards to direct the Integrity Commissioner to apply to the court to vacate a member’s seat if the Commissioner’s inquiry determines that the member contravened the code of conduct by failing to comply with the workplace violence or harassment policies; and
WHEREAS it is estimated that over 100 Ontario municipalities and Ontario’s Big City Mayors have formally endorsed Bill 5; and
WHEREAS the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the Rural Ontario Municipalities Association have expressed to the Provincial Government their support for legislation to update municipal Codes of Conduct to, among other matters, incorporate measures included in Bill 5;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Ottawa City Council request that the Mayor write to the Premier of Ontario to express support of Bill 5, Stopping Harassment and Abuse by Local Leaders Act, 2022, on behalf of the 2022-2026 Ottawa City Council, and that the letter also be sent to all local MPPs, including Stephen Blais, as well as the Minister of Municipal Affairs, and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO).