Vancouver City Council

MOTION ON NOTICE

1. Restrictions on Council Members

MOVER: Councillor Sullivan
SECONDER: Councillor

Whereas

Recent media reports have indicated that some members of Council are having their votes controlled by unelected political organizations.

This goes to the heart of representation by the electors and needs to be clarified for the citizens.

A recent published letter from a former COPE president indicated that COPE Councillors are not allowed to "break with labor". This former COPE president also criticized the NPA because NPA Councillors are expected to "vote with their consciences" and the Board does not endorse policy positions.

In the last election campaign COPE promised to run an open and transparent government.

COPE board members are actively deciding on issues of policy for the city and promoting their decisions publicly via press releases and as official delegations to city commissions.

The citizens of Vancouver did not vote for the boards of the political organizations during the last election. Citizens expect the people they voted into office to be the ones setting policy for their city.

There are recent media reports of attempts by the board of COPE to discipline Councillors who do not vote according to the wishes of the board.

COPE Councillors, who are the target of the COPE board, have opposed a major expansion of gambling in the city of Vancouver.

Given the fact that the board of COPE is having a major influence on city policy, the internal workings of COPE is a matter of great interest to the public.

The board of COPE has declared that citizens of Vancouver and members of the media will not be allowed to attend the upcoming COPE annual general meeting.

Therefore be it resolved that Council endorse the principle that Councillors should be free to exercise their own judgment and vote according to their conscience and not be bound by policy decisions of their political organizations.

* * * * *