The changes to elections and governance proposed in Alberta's Bill 20 have already created an atmosphere of silence and fear among municipal leaders, and will "fundamentally redraw the blueprint of our local democracy" if implemented, Alberta Municipalities (ABmunis) President Tyler Gandam said during a press event on April 29.
Tabled last week in the Alberta Legislature, Bill 20, The Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, would make dozens of changes to rules around local elections and municipal politics, including creating municipal political parties and giving provincial cabinet expanded powers to remove elected councillors or rewrite bylaws.
Gandam said the bill sets a dangerous precedent, and it is "an attempt by the provincial government to grab more power and wield more control over how people choose to live in their own communities."
"I can't say this strongly enough – Bill 20 will fundamentally redraw the blueprint of our local democracy and alter how people's local needs are met and who represents them."
The bill still requires royal assent before coming into force, but Gandam said it has already created an atmosphere in which some local leaders are fearing repercussions for openly disagreeing with the provincial government.
The Minister of Municipal Affairs already has authority to remove municipal officials in some circumstances, such as the firing of Chestermere's mayor and half of its councillors for failure to fix their dysfunctional government in December, though to do so requires a public investigation process. Proposed changes would allow cabinet to remove councillors if it is "in the public interest," and to make those decisions behind closed doors.
"Bill 20 would allow the provincial government to remove councillors and repeal bylaws it doesn't like based on backroom cabinet decisions made without public scrutiny or accountability," Gandam said.
"If the government has the power to just remove somebody, without any kind of public dialogue or sharing why they've been removed from council, it poses a threat against members of council. It poses a threat to democracy as a whole."
Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver has said the changes are necessary to speed up the process by which councillors can be removed if the administration is operating so poorly. Nearly two years passed between the time Municipal Affairs received the first complaints about the conduct of Chestermere's city council and their dismissal.
Local governments "up for sale"
Amendments to the the Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA) set out in Bill 20 would let corporations and unions to donate up to $5,000 to candidates in municipal elections. Gandam said the changes put "local governments up for sale to the highest bidder," while doing "almost nothing" to improve transparency regarding financial donations from third party advertisers.
"Independent candidates risk being outspent and drowned out by party candidates who enjoy the financial backing of corporations and unions. If the bill passes in its current for, local government elections will end up being about what influential corporations and unions want, not about what voters want."
Gandam said the proposed legislation will bring divisive politics to municipal governments, setting neighbours against each other and making local officials constantly second guess the best decisions for their community.
"Bill 20 threatens our society because it threatens to split us apart. Without a healthy, fair and secure secure democracy, the Alberta community will change forever."
