Ottawa city council works with an annual budget of $1.8-billion of taxpayers’ money. That brings with it a responsibility and duty to be accountable to the public. But some city staff want less transparency.
City staff recently recommended that council adopt a series of changes proposed by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. One change would allow city council to meet in camera whenever it works for any reason. Under current provincial law, municipal councils are only allowed to discuss things in secret such as labour negotiations, land transactions and personnel issues.
Municipal Affairs Minister John Gerretsen has already put the boots to the suggestion, saying unless the public interest is at risk, discussion should always be open. Ottawa councillors similarly, were almost unanimously opposed. As they should be.
City staff said the changes would give greater control over decisions to municipalities. But independence doesn’t mean secrecy.
The AMO exists to support and enhance strong and effective municipal government in Ontario. This proposal does exactly the opposite. By allowing meetings to be held in private, at the whim of involved parties, the public would soon become disengaged from the process.
Only about one-third of Ottawa residents voted in the last municipal election and local government should be working to reconnect with voters. Municipal government serves as a political educator and a training ground for democracy.
Shuffling debate and meetings away from the public’s scrutiny takes issues out of context. Questions of accountability and trust are raised. A stigma of wrongdoing is often attached to secret meetings, even if the proceedings are legitimate. More secrecy at the municipal level also sets an alarming precedent for other public institutions.
For example, the city council in Rapid City, South Dakota, ran into a major problem last year.
It approved a $255-million wastewater treatment plant without seeing the contract. Many of the negotiations were behind-the-scenes and after council actually saw the document, they unanimously voted against the plan. The contract caused so much controversy, legislation is pending in the U.S. Congress to outlaw such secret deals.
There is some validity in city staff’s argument. Municipalities should be given more power. Constitutionally, municipal governments in Ontario are creatures of the province.
Thus, it is understandable some city staff want greater autonomy and the power to set their own rules. But increased sovereignty must never trump the right of the public to know what its city council is doing. And holding in camera meetings is certainly not in the public’s interest.
Cities suffer when the transparency of municipal government becomes darkened with secrecy.
— Trevor Sinker