Calgary city councillors will review potential changes to two bylaws that would clarify rules around remote participation in city meetings.

In the Feb. 13 Executive Committee meeting, councillors will mull changes to the Procedure Bylaw (which governs how meetings are conducted) and the Code of Conduct for Elected Officials Bylaw that would limit remote participation in committee, council or closed session meetings to “on occasion.”

Last December, Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean was asked to issue a letter of apology to Calgarians for attending a golf tournament on July 26, 2023, during a public hearing meeting. The report from Calgary’s integrity commissioner at that time suggested Coun. McLean did not follow proper remote meeting protocol.

Coun. McLean did later apologize for the incident but believed there was political motivation for the integrity commissioner complaint.

The issue prompted a further conversation about all councillors’ remote participation in meetings. Rules around remote participation were relaxed during the Covid-19 pandemic to allow for city business to remain operational while public health measures were in place.

When contacted for this story, McLean said he believes he has among the best in-person attendance records of all councillors.

“I’ve been pushing for the last two years to prohibit remote attendance,” he said.

“I’ve seen members of council call in while on vacation in Italy, while they are out walking their dog, and even watching Netflix at home. Members of council should be at city hall, in person, attending council meetings unless they are sick or conducting business on behalf of the City.”

The city admin report states that the Procedure Bylaw addresses logistical aspects and rules around remote participation. The Code of Conduct provides broad ethical guardrails for councillor conduct, it read.

“Currently missing are provisions that detail the ethical criteria for remote versus in-person participation at meetings,” it read.

As such, they are suggesting adding “on occasion” to the Procedure Bylaw, and that they are in an appropriate, secure location free from distractions, with their camera on and no background used.  Further, best efforts are to be made to attend closed-session meetings in person.

The Code of Conduct Bylaw prescribes that only urgent medical or personal matters, or being out of town on City business qualifies for remote participation. In addition, records of remote participation must be kept and disclosed to the Integrity Commissioner on request.

Some flexibility required

Ward 3 Coun. Jasmine Mian, who is a new mom, said a course correction was needed on council’s remote participation policy. Still, it shouldn’t be an overcorrection, she said.

“I have a four-month-old baby and we have 12-hour days at council. So, some level of flexibility is needed because if I can’t sit in remotely, even for part of the day, that means I would have to bring him into chambers,” Coun. Mian said.

“That’s going to be very disruptive to everyone.”

She’s considering further questions of administration around possible amendments to the proposed changes that make considerations for parents with kids under the age of one.

“I don’t think as leaders of this city, you can ask the city workers to come back in person and not do that yourself,” Mian said.

“That being said, I think we recognize that people can do good work and tune in when they’re away, out of town, or have some type of engagement that keeps them from being physically present at the appropriate times.”

Ward 8 Coun. Courtney Walcott welcomes the proposed changes and the accountability of having to record when you are remote. He believes the proposed rules around “urgent personal or medical matters” are broad enough for flexibility among council members, including those with young families.

Recently, he was kept at home for a meeting to care for a loved one who had been involved in a car crash. No one would know that unless he was asked. That’s why he’s in favour of recording times when you are remote, even just to explain to citizens.

“I do think that it’s probably good practice, that I don’t know if everyone does, to actually keep track of that information, so that you can be accountable to the public upon request,” Coun. Walcott said.

Before, Walcott said, councillors weren’t always following the rules, and it was done on an honour system. He referenced the Coun. McLean situation and how that was handled.  

“This is actually just cleaning up,” he said.

“One of the realities of council participation is that we you hope that people respect the chamber enough to show up whenever possible. But if that’s not happening, then we have to start making rules around it.”