Vancouver Liberals on City Hall ethics: lobbyist registry, cheaper records, ward vote
The Vancouver Liberals say they would create a city lobbyist registry, cut the cost of freedom of information requests, review and strengthen the Integrity Commissioner's office and the Code of Conduct, add cryptocurrency to politicians' disclosures, and set up a citizens' assembly on wards.
AFFORDABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Transparency and Governance: what the Kareem's Plan for a Better Vancouver says
Several entries on the Vancouver Liberals' issues page deal with how City Hall makes decisions and how the public can check them. The party says the federal and provincial governments each keep a lobbyist registry, a public list of people paid to influence officials, and that Vancouver should have one too. It would also lower the fees for freedom of information requests, which are the formal way a member of the public asks the city for its records. The party says ABC Vancouver promised openness and then made those requests more expensive.
The Integrity Commissioner is the official who looks into complaints about the conduct of elected officials. The party would strengthen that office, order an independent outside review of it, and strengthen the Code of Conduct, the written rules elected officials must follow. It says the aim is an office that stays independent and free from political pressure. On disclosure, the party says the financial interests that politicians must report when they take office should also cover cryptocurrency holdings and accounts.
The last item is about how councillors are elected. The party describes Vancouver's current system as at-large voting, where every councillor is elected by voters across the whole city, and says this makes campaigns expensive and leaves many neighbourhoods without their own representative. It supports looking at a ward system, where each district of the city elects its own councillor, and would set up a citizens' assembly, a group of residents asked to study the question, to make recommendations for a public referendum.
The party presents most of these steps as Council decisions, and Council does set its own meeting rules, committees and reporting. The Vancouver Charter creates the city's government and sets its powers, and only the Province can change that act. The platform does not say whether a ward system would need such a change.
7 COMMITMENTS
What the party says it would do
Create a city lobbyist registry
The Vancouver Liberals would create a lobbyist registry for the city, a public list of people paid to influence city decisions. The party says the federal and provincial governments each already have one.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets its own rules for how it deals with the public and can create a registry for City Hall.
Reduce freedom of information costs
The party would reduce the cost of freedom of information requests, the formal way to ask the city for its records. It says Ken Sim made these requests more expensive.
- Who has the power
- City Council The party presents this as a City Hall decision. The platform does not say which fees would change or by how much.
Strengthen the Integrity Commissioner's office
The party would strengthen the office of the Integrity Commissioner so that elected officials are held to account for their actions.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council approves the city's operating budget, which pays for the office, and the party presents the change as a Council decision.
Independent external review of the Integrity Commissioner's office
The party would introduce an independent external review of the Integrity Commissioner's office, to keep it transparent, independent and free from political interference.
- Who has the power
- City Council The party presents the review as a step it would take on Council.
Strengthen the Code of Conduct for elected officials
The party would strengthen the Code of Conduct for elected officials, the written rules on how councillors must behave.
- Who has the power
- City Council The party presents this as a Council decision on the rules for its own members.
Cryptocurrency disclosure for politicians
The party says the financial interests that politicians must disclose when they take office should also include cryptocurrency holdings and accounts.
- Who has the power
- City, with others The platform does not say whether the city would add this rule for its own members or ask the Province to change the disclosure rules.
A citizens' assembly on a ward system
The party supports exploring a ward system, where each local district elects its own councillor. It would convene a citizens' assembly to study the question and bring recommendations forward for a public referendum.
- Who has the power
- City, with others Council can set up an assembly to advise it. The Vancouver Charter creates the city's government, only the Province can change that act, and the platform does not say whether wards would need such a change.
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT
Where the power sits for this chapter
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions about transparency and governance
Do the Vancouver Liberals support a ward system for Vancouver?
The Vancouver Liberals support exploring a ward system, where each district of the city would elect its own councillor. The party would set up a citizens' assembly to study it and bring recommendations to a public referendum. It says the change should be decided by voters (party issues page).
Would the Vancouver Liberals create a lobbyist registry at City Hall?
Yes. The Vancouver Liberals say Vancouver should follow the federal and provincial governments and keep a lobbyist registry, a public list of people paid to influence officials. Council could create one for City Hall (party issues page).
What would the Vancouver Liberals do about freedom of information fees?
The Vancouver Liberals say they would reduce the cost of freedom of information requests, the formal way to ask the city for its records. The party says fees went up under Mayor Ken Sim and ABC Vancouver (party issues page).
What is the Vancouver Liberals' plan for the Integrity Commissioner?
The party would strengthen the Integrity Commissioner's office, order an independent outside review of it, and strengthen the Code of Conduct for elected officials. The Vancouver Liberals say the goal is an office that stays independent and free from political interference (party issues page).
Do the Vancouver Liberals want politicians to disclose cryptocurrency?
Yes. The Vancouver Liberals say the financial interests politicians must disclose when they take office should include cryptocurrency holdings and accounts (party issues page).
Can Vancouver City Council switch to wards on its own?
Council can set up a citizens' assembly to advise it, as the Vancouver Liberals propose, and the party says the final choice would go to a public referendum. The Vancouver Charter creates the city's government and only the Province can change it. The party does not say whether wards would need such a change (party issues page).
ON THE BALLOT
The Vancouver Liberals candidates behind this
Sources
Every commitment on this page comes from the party's own material, marked SAYS SO ITSELF. It proves what the party says it would do. Who holds each power is our own addition, from the sources listed after it.
- Kareem's Plan for a Better Vancouver (Issues page) SAYS SO ITSELFVancouver Liberals · checked