Q: I have been approached to let my name stand as a councillor in my rural municipality in Sask-atchewan. I know generally what that entails, but what are some of the legal implications?
A: Municipal government has often been described as the level of government closest to the people. In common language, this is “where the rubber hits the road.”
Other levels of government are federal and provincial. Municipalities are a creation of, and are given authority from, the province.
I recommend you look at the Municipal Council Member’s Handbook available online and produced by the Ministry of Government Relations in Saskatchewan.
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Municipal government, over the four western provinces, is fairly similar in its setup. In Saskatchewan, the main governing legislation is the Municipalities Act. It provides the legal framework for the municipal councils to provide governance and make decisions at a local level, taking into account the needs of their community. The act sets out the power to pass bylaws and levy taxes.
If you are elected to council, your duties are:
- To represent the public, keeping in mind the best interests of the municipality
- To participate in making and evaluating the policies, services and programs of the municipality
- To participate in council and committee meetings and meetings of other council bodies
- To make sure the administration is in place to do the work of the municipality
- To keep in confidence matters discussed in private until they come to public meetings
- To maintain the financial integrity of the municipality.
These duties are weighty. Also, you must be careful to avoid conflict of interest. If you or a family member has a financial interest in a proposed municipal project where you could make a profit or suffer financial consequences, there are rules for a councillor declaring that interest and staying out of the decision making.
Serving as councillor is an opportunity to give back and make things better in the community.
