Edmonton appoints city's first integrity commissioner and ethics adviser

The mayor and city councillors will be held more accountable with theappointment of the city's first integrity commissioner and ethics adviser, the city says.

The two positions will "ensure an independent party investigates complaints of the mayor's and councillors' conduct and ethics," the city said in news release Wednesday.

Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson said the code of conduct and new positions should help clarify what is appropriate behaviour for council and mayor.

"I saw some things in previous terms on city council that I thought didn't feel quite right, but there was no mechanism to hold people accountable," he said. "Now we have those things."

The code sets out rules for giftscouncillorscan receive, attendance records and conflicts of interest when it comes to personal gain.

Long-time Edmonton lawyer Jamie Pytelwill be the city's first integrity commissioner.

Pytel, whose legal practice focuses on conflict resolution, development of codes of conduct, governance and externalwhistleblowerservices, will investigate potential breaches ofthe city's new code ofconduct, which waspassed earlier this year as required by provincial legislation.

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Coun. BevEsslingersaid the ethics adviser will be useful whena situation isn'tclear.

"I'm invited as a person to a political event. I'm not going in my capacity as a councillor, should I go? And what are the rules around that?" she said."Even if I agree to buy my own ticket, you know there's a grey area, should you go at all. You know, it's just giving council advice."

BrentRathgeber,former Conservative MP for Edmonton-St. Albert andformer MLAfor Edmonton-Calder,was appointedthe city's ethics adviser.

He will give mayor and councillegal advice on ethics and policy, as well as educational programs and materials.

RathgebergivesEdmonton council kudos for going beyond the requirementsina code of conduct mandated by theprovincial government byJuly 23, 2018.

"It wasn't mandated that you had to have an investigative arm of it, which is the new integrity commissioner, nor that you have an ethics adviser to give proactive advice to councillors to try to keep them on side the code of conduct."

"I believe this council takes these matters very seriously."

Rathgeberwill continue to practicelaw while performing duties as council's ethics adviser.

Ivesonsaidcouncil candraw on Rathgeber'sexpertise and experience.

"I think Mr. Rathgeber's background as a lawyer, and his parliamentary background and thefact that he's stood on principlein his political career areall things that make him highly respected by me,"Iveson said. "I think he'll provide great advice to us individually or as a group."

• MP Rathgeber refuses to be 'cheerleader' and quits Tory caucus

Rathgeberstepped down as MP from Stephen Harper's Conservative caucus in 2013, over concerns the federal governmentlackedtransparency.

Both city positions arefive-year contract appointmentsand are expected to cost the city $180,000 a year, includingadministrativestaff.