Council Elections: Where's the fairness committee?
Without any guidelines I was told about, I had to ponder whether I should participate in Council elections by openly endorsing candidates. As a recent member of Shadow Cabinet I have an ‘official role’ to play within the party. In the end I convinced myself that because party governance is not part of Shadow Cabinet’s responsibility, I could allow myself to participate.
When I saw sitting Council members participate in Council Elections I felt even more uneasy. Presumably they had to come up with their own answer to the question “if Council’s role is to represent membership and govern the party is it proper for sitting Council members to openly participate in Council elections?”
When I saw several paid GPC staff and the leader’s office gently wade into Council election campaigning on these blogs I knew for sure that the line had been crossed. Council is responsible for hiring staff. Having staff campaign for who they want their bosses to be is a clear conflict of interest. For a good blog post on how conflict of interests fits into these council elections, please visit Mark Taylor’s entry here http://reportongreens.blogspot.com/2009/08/conflict-of-interest.html .
Some will say that little damage has been done but these are potentially very harmful, divisive issues. They could easily be dealt with by a clear set of published and enforced guidelines that would relieve the Leader, Staff, Shadow Cabinet and Council of using their imagination to determine what’s proper or not. Maybe these guidelines already exist. Maybe Council has an election fairness committee. What’s for sure is that Council, by their acquiescence, approves when paid staff crosses the line and campaigns for their preferred Council candidates.
We’ll have another internal election coming up in 2010 when we are scheduled to hold a Leadership race. It’s important that Council sets clear rules and guidelines to ensure that staff isn’t involved in any leadership candidate’s campaign. I would suggest staff not even be allowed the loop hole of campaigning in their ‘spare time’. Perhaps Council should not be involved in campaigning either. Our Council and Leadership elections must not only be above reproach, they must be seen to be above reproach.
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Council Elections; Who should campaign?
Hi Ard.
This is indeed a touchy subject. I definitely think paid staff should not campaign on a candidates behalf due to their apparent conflict of interest. I am not entirely comfortable with members of council taking part either. I have blogged about the elections quite a bit and have even put forward a list of candidates I would like to see elected. I only did this when it became apparent that other councillors were strongly endorsing certain candidates and after discussing this issue with other councillors. I feel that councillors should be able to endorse candidates but possibly just endose them and not campaign for or against them. Like I say, it is a touchy subject. I, too would like some guidence on this matter.
Regards...PJ
Peter Johnston.
There's no conflict for councilors.
Staff are paid, and potentially have access to private information, and stuff like email lists. It is totally inappropriate for them to campaign, or even to comment on elections.
Councillors are not paid, and are assumed to be active in internal politics. Provided they do not use Party resources, then it is completely appropriate for them to campaign in internal elections. I assume that the same rules govern council elections as govern Leadership races? Use of membership lists, etc. should be permitted, so that the candidates actually have the option of canvassing, and speaking directly with the membership.
The campaigns should be more vigorous! The threshold is ridiculously low. Sign up for the faction of your choice, write a nondescript 300 word blurb, and get elected by a membership that is completely ignorant of where you stand on the central issues facing the Party. We are reduced to voting for slates, because there's no other way to find out what the actual candidates are running for. This election seems to be about whether or not the councilors are 'loyal' to Elizabeth May. What kind of idiocy is that? There are genuine issues, like where the focus of our next election will be that are simply NOT ON THE RADAR SCREEN!
WHY does Elizabeth need a full house of 'loyal' councilors? To what end precisely? What will the dissident councilors do differently? Why do they feel it neccesary to stand in opposition to Elizabeth? These are the issues, and I appreciate as much campaigning as possible, in order to draw the real issues out from under the platitudes.
Council Elections: Council Does the Right Thing
I sent an email to all council members this morning with my specific concerns on election fairness. It turns out that the issue was already discussed at a meeting last night. I’ve heard that a motion was passed that Leader, Staff, Council and Shadow Cabinet not be allowed to openly participate in Council elections.
Some might wonder why Shadow Cabinet is on the list. I agree with the choice if only because it makes guidelines more strict. Better safe than sorry. Also, SC members are appointed by the Leader and could therefore be seen to be unduly influenced by the Leader.
The guidelines should have been set up earlier but I’m pleased that Council acknowledged that something was awry and passed a motion to rectify the problem. The motion still needs to be enforced however and this is why you'll see some 'amended blogs' coming your way.
If you as a member ever have an issue you want brought to Council’s attention I would encourage you to get in touch with your Councilor, or even all of them at the same time. It’s their job to listen to members and represent them. Their names and emails can be found here http://www.greenparty.ca/contact/council .
Ard Van Leeuwen (Dufferin-Caledon, ON)
The views I express on this blog are purely my own and should not be construed to represent the official position of the Green Party of Canada.
What an ill considered step!
Let me get this straight. Any Tom, Dick, or Harry can campaign as hard as they like on behalf of their friends and allies, EXCEPT for those people who have dedicated their time, work, and efforts to overseeing the Party? Why? I don't see any conflict at all, except for the important exception of staffers. What is the difference between council elections and the leadership race? Will sitting council members be barred from participating in the leadership race as well? Obviously, the fairness commitee should be made up of 'non-aligned' councilors, but what about the rest? I think the Leader is entitled to campaign for those she wants on board her team. The rest of the councilors are equally entitled to have an opinion, and not be stifled in such an important decision. The more information the membership has, the better the decisions they can make.
I'm curious as to whether such a decision is supportable in law, or under the constitution? Maybe nobody cares.....
No enforcement
It is obvious why staff and leadership are excluded, but it does seem unrealistic to muzzle current councillors or shadow cabinet. Particularly since members of shadow cabinet are running for council.
That being said, it is one thing to promote or personally endorse a candidate, while another to urge (as some posts implied) members to avoid voting for a candidate. Councillors, as well as all party members, should focus on positive campaigning.
The only enforcement is that councillors can be removed with a 75% vote of council. So any ban would be voluntarily unless 75% of council would agree to enforce it.