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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCS 06-05 REPORT TO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Report Number: CS 06-05 Date: January 6, 2005 From: Bruce Taylor, AMCT, CMM City Clerk Subject: Endorsement of Bill 165 - Elected Officials Immunity Act, 2004 Recommendation: That Report CS 06-05 regarding the endorsement of Bill 165 being the Elected Officials Immunity Act, 2004, be received. That the Council of the Corporation of the City of Pickering hereby endorses Bill 165, known as the Elected Officials Immunity Act, 2004, to provide elected members of municipal councils and school boards the same privilege, immunities and powers presently granted to members of the Legislative Assembly; and That copies of this resolution be forwarded to: Honourable Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario Wayne Arthurs, MPP, Pickering-Ajax-Uxbridge That the appropriate officials of the City of Pickering be authorized to take the necessary actions to give effect thereto. Executive Summary: This Report provides an overview of Bill 165, known as the Elected Officials Immunity Act, 2004, to provide elected members of municipal councils and school boards the same privilege, immunities and powers presently granted to members of the Legislative Assembly. Report CS 06-05 Endorsement of Bill 165 - Elected Officials Immunity Act January 6, 2005 Page 2 Financial Implications: Not applicable Background: Please find attached to this Report a letter dated December 14, 2004 from Jerry Ouellette, MPP, Oshawa, providing a copy of Private Member's Bill 165 being the Elected Officials Immunity Act, 2004. As noted in the letter, the purpose of Bill 165 is to provide elected members of municipal councils and school boards the same privilege, immunities and powers presently granted to members of the Legislative Assembly. This Bill is designed to assist elected officials and municipalities by allowing more freedom of speech and public debate during Council and committee meetings without the fear of court action. I believe that the intent of Bill 165 is to provide the same privileges as set out in Section 37 of the Legislative Assembly Act, which states as follows: A member of the Assembly is not liable to any civil action or prosecution, arrest, imprisonment or damages, by reason of any matter or thing the member brought by petition, bill, resolution, motion or otherwise, or said before the Assembly or a committee thereof. Although there is some common law governing freedom of speech by Members of Council, it is not clear on how far Members of Council are covered. Also, common law governing slander is also very unclear and provides an impediment to a full and open debate by local elected officials of important issues. Bill 165 proposes to provide legislation that would allow local elected officials to have the same freedoms of speech granted to members of the Legislative Assembly which over the years has not been abused by the members of the Legislative Assembly. Attachments: 1. Letter from Jerry Ouellette dated December 14, 2004 CORP0227-07/01 Report CS 06-05 Endorsement of Bill 165 - Elected Officials Immunity Act Janua~ 6,2005 Page 3 Prepared By: /Br--'~ce ~-aylor City Clerk Approved I Endorsed By: G'q]]~-~Paterson Director, Corporate Services & Treasurer Attachments Recommended. d/t ~onside~ation of Pickering~ ~~ff/~/~/L Thomas ~' i~ef Administrative O~)~ CORP0227-07/01 Ontario LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY JERRY J. OUELLETTE, M.RP. Oshawa December 14, 2004 Queen's Park Office: Rm. 428 Legislative Building Toronto, Ontario M7A lA8 Tel. (416) 325-2147 Fax (416) 325-2169 Constituency Office: 170 ^thol St. E. Oshawa, Ontario L1H 1K1 Tel. (905) 723-2411 Fax (905) 723-1054 E-mail:jerry_ouellette@ontla.ola.org Website:www.oshawarnpp.com Mayor David Ryan & Council One The Esplanade Pickering, Ontario L1V 6K7 Dear Mayor & Council: I am pleased to be able to provide you with a copy of my Private Member's Bill, the 'Elected Officials Immunity Act 2004', which I introduced in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. This Bill, if passed will provide elected members of municipal councils and school boards the same privilege, immunities, and powers presently granted to members of the Legislative Assembly. The legislation is designed to assist elected officials and municipalities by allowing more freedom of speech and public debate in chamber settings without the reprise of court action. Any support or assistance that you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Please contact your local MPP as well as Premier Dalton McGuinty of your endorsement of this Bill. I look forward to your valuable input and appreciate all your support. Yours Sincerely, 1 ST SESSION, 38TH LEGISLATURE, ONTARIO 53 ELIZABETH II, 2004 1re SESSION, 38e LI~GISLATURE, ONTARIO 53 ELIZABETH II, 2004 Bill 165 Projet de loi 165 An Act to provide elected members of municipal councils and school boards with certain privileges, immunities and powers Loi octroyant certains privileges et pouvoirs et certaines immunit6s aux membres 61us des conseils municipaux et des conseils scolaires Mr. Ouellette M. Ouellette Private Member's Bill Projet de loi de d6put6 1 st Reading 2nd Reading 3rd Reading Royal Assent December 15, 2004 ] re lecture 2~ lecture 3e lecture Sanction royale 15 d6cembre 2004 Printed by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario Imprim6 par l'Assembl6e 16gislative de l'Ontario Bill 165 2004 Projet de loi 165 2004 An Act to provide elected members of municipal councils and school boards with certain privileges, immunities and powers Loi octroyant certains privileges et pouvoirs et certaines immunit6s aux membres 61us des conseils municipaux et des conseils scolaires Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows: Grant of privileges, immunities and powers 1. An elected member of a council of a municipality or of a school board has the same privileges, immunities and powers as the law confers on a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Commencement 2. This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent. Short title 3. The short title of this Act is the Elected Officials Immunity Act, 2004. Sa Majest6, sur l'avis et avec le consentement de l'Assembl6e 16gislative de la province de l'Ontario, 6dicte: Octroi de privileges, immunit6s et pouvoirs 1. Le membre 61u d'un conseil municipal ou d'un conseil scolaire dispose des m~mes privileges, immunit6s et pouvoirs que ceux que la loi conf6re aux d6put6s fi l'Assembl6e 16gislative de l'Ontario. Entr6e en vigueur 2. La pr6sente Ioi entre en vigueur le jour off elle re~:oit la sanction royale. Titre abr6g6 3. Le titre abr6g6 de la pr6sente loi est Loi de 2004 sur l'immunitd des dlus. EXPLANATORY NOTE The purpose of the Bill is to extend to elected members of mu- nicipal councils and school boards those privileges, immunities and powers presently enjoyed by members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. NOTE EXPLICATIVE L'objet de la pr6sente loi est d'accorder aux membres 61us des conseils municipaux et des conseils scolaires les privileges, immunit6s et pouvoirs dont les d6put6s h l'Assembl6e 16gisla- tive de l'Ontario sont pr6sentement investis.