Local politics

Local politics


Mayor and councillor breach code of conduct

Erin Lamb, whose name was disclosed without authorization after anonymously filing complaints against the Three Rivers mayor and a councillor, said she was expecting an apology from the town which she never received. “I filed a complaint with the ombudsperson very shortly after all this happened. I just got a response from them saying that […]

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Town confirms CAO’s departure

It’s official. A statement from the Town of Drayton Valley March 4 says that Jocelyn Whaley’s employment as CAO was ended by mutual agreement. Last week, Whaley was put on paid leave after a special meeting held by Council at 7 p.m. on March 2. During a closed session at the March 4 meeting, Whaley […]

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Questions remain as CAO placed on leave

At a special meeting held on the evening of Monday March 2, Drayton Valley town council placed CAO Jocelyn Whaley on a paid leave of absence. “Council called a special meeting of council at 7 p.m. last night to discuss legal matters and employment issues,” said acting CAO Jennifer Stone. “Because of the Access to […]

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Grassroots wave reshaping local politics in Rural Manitoba

A growing grassroots movement in East St. Paul and other Manitoba communities is drawing more residents into municipal politics, as controversial regional decisions spark concern about local autonomy and transparency. Residents who had never attended council meetings are now organizing, sharing information and pushing elected officials to consult the public before committing to major regional […]

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Does the N.W.T. need a child and youth advocate?

An MLA is calling for the creation of a child and youth advocate in the Northwest Territories to hear the concerns of those involved in the child welfare system. “In the Northwest Territories, the child and family services system holds extraordinary power over children in care with no real independent oversight,” said Range Lake MLA […]

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Town lays out updated policy for bylaw enforcement

The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has laid out how bylaw complaints and inquiries will be reviewed, investigated and enforced under an updated enforcement policy. Council unanimously received the information report last Tuesday. Before the report, the town already enforced bylaws using an “engage, educate, then enforce” approach and accepted complaints through a public process outlined on […]

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‘There’s no heat, no hot water’: Tense exchange between Brampton councillor and corporate landlord underscores the plight of city’s renters

On December 10, Brampton Councillor Pat Fortini walked into the apartment building at 507 Balmoral Drive. He was disgusted by what he saw. He shared his experience with his fellow councillors during a meeting the next day, and confronted the representative of the building owner standing before him in the council chamber. “I was there […]

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Internal government records flag gaps in federal dam oversight

Hydroelectric dams on public lands are at growing risk of failure because the department responsible for them has no engineers, inadequate funding and no safety rules, an internal document warns. The document, obtained by Canada’s National Observer through an Access to Information and Privacy request, calls the state of affairs “unsustainable” at the Ministry for […]

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Southgate considers two new staff positions in budget

There are two new positions proposed in the 2026 budget: one in the Clerk’s department and one 30-hour/ week position in Recreation. Human Resources Kayla Best updated council on staffing levels. She showed numbers from the past three years, and also comparisons by department to two other unnamed municipalities. Southgate’s numbers were large, similar to […]

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Two Renfrew councillors face pay suspensions although lighter than recommendations

Renfrew – Two members of Renfrew Town council were handed 10 and seven-day suspensions without pay, respectively, after the release of an Integrity Commissioner’s report regarding a complaint about a Facebook post made by one councillor and supported by another. Council had the opportunity to discuss the Integrity Commissioner’s findings at last Tuesday’s special meeting […]

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Councillors question bringing Aurora’s Procedural Bylaw in line with Strong Mayor Powers

A recommendation for Council to adopt an updated Procedural Bylaw governing how meetings are run, bringing it in line with Strong Mayor powers, sparked a debate at last week’s Committee of the Whole meeting. Supporters of the recommended changes before lawmakers last week stated Council does not currently have a Procedural Bylaw in line with […]

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NHPL CEO presents draft budget to Faraday

Faraday Township council heard from Kate Harris, the head librarian and CEO of the North Hastings Public Library at their meeting on Nov. 5, who presented the library’s draft budget for 2026. Harris and CAO Bernice Crocker comment to The Bancroft Times about Harris’ library budget presentation. Harris presented her draft budget for the NHPL […]

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