Nova Scotia residents are no longer permitted to lodge complaints against their municipal elected officials, a decision criticized as “dangerously undemocratic” by an advocate. The province recently adjusted the municipal code of conduct following input from local governments. One significant change states that complaints can now only be initiated by a council member from the same municipality as the subject of the complaint.
Pam Mood, the president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities and the mayor of the Town of Yarmouth, expressed that some municipalities faced a surge in complaints after the implementation of the provincewide code last year. She emphasized the necessity of establishing a clear definition for frivolous or vexatious complaints to ensure consistency among independent investigators handling municipal complaints.
Mood commended the province for temporarily removing public complaints, suggesting it was a strategic move to recalibrate the system. She stressed the importance of upholding the code of conduct’s intended purpose, highlighting that complaints could sometimes be motivated by personal animosity or disagreement with a councillor’s voting stance.
The latest changes to the code also prohibit council members from submitting complaints on behalf of others and allow investigators to consolidate similar complaints for a more efficient process. These modifications come shortly after several residents lodged complaints against Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore for allegedly making misleading statements.
While existing public complaints will continue to be processed under the previous rules, no new complaints will be accepted following the recent amendments. Critics, including Peter Linfield, who previously lodged a complaint against Mayor Fillmore, view this restriction as an unnecessary limitation on public accountability.
Unlike other Atlantic provinces, Ontario, and British Columbia, Nova Scotia now restricts public complaints about municipal officials. Duff Conacher, co-founder of Democracy Watch, criticized this move as “dangerously undemocratic and unethical,” advocating for an independent provincial office to handle all municipal complaints.
In response to concerns about the perceived anti-democratic nature of the changes, Municipal Affairs Minister John Lohr stated that the adjustments aim to refine the existing process based on ongoing learning. While the reintroduction of public complaints is not guaranteed, Lohr pledged to collaborate with municipal authorities to enhance the code of conduct.
Mood echoed the urgency of improving the code promptly. A spokesperson for Municipal Affairs reassured citizens that they can still hold council members accountable through the electoral process.