qathet Regional District’s committee of the whole is recommending the establishment of a working group to develop a code of conduct.
At the January 16 committee meeting, directors voted to recommend to the regional board that Electoral Area A director and board chair Patrick Brabazon, Electoral Area E director Andrew Fall and city director George Doubt be appointed to the code of conduct policy working group.
Doubt said he thinks a code of conduct policy is important. He added that he had been reviewing a number of documents from previous existences; he has dealt with many codes of conduct over that period of time, and they are good to have.
He said he was encouraged to develop recommendations that would create something like a code of conduct on how members should interact with each other. While development of such a document certainly helps an organization define values by which it wants to be guided, Doubt said he would caution against relying on such a document alone to achieve a more healthy and respectful environment.
“From experience, the introduction or imposition of a code of conduct in and of itself, rarely ever, has the desired effect,” said Doubt. “While uncivil conduct can be defined, identified and perhaps punished, genuine respect and consideration for others flows from a set of values and requires individual, as well as joint commitment.”
Doubt said everyone around the regional district board table needs to come to the table with that joint set of values and a commitment to respecting each other before any code of conduct will solve the problem.
“I’d be happy to work on one, but the issue of respect for each other and the public is of primary importance and will mean more than any code of conduct,” said Doubt.
According to a director’s memo, qathet Regional District does not have a comprehensive code of conduct that defines clear standards for acceptable behavior. The memo states that developing a code of conduct has been discussed by the regional board for several years, and was also recommended by the procedure bylaw review working group.
The memo also states that a draft code of conduct should be brought forth by May 2020 for consideration of the regional board.
