Get to know Vaughan’s Integrity Commissioner
Do you know who the City of Vaughan’s Integrity Commissioner is? Or what they are responsible for? How about what types of advice an Integrity Commissioner can provide to Members of Council? The City is sharing an overview of the role and responsibilities of the Integrity Commissioner.
In February 2009, Vaughan Council appointed Suzanne Craig as the City's Integrity Commissioner. An Integrity Commissioner ensures the municipality operates with good governance, maintains a high ethical standard and holds the public’s trust through inclusive, transparent and accountable decision-making.
In her role at Vaughan, Ms. Craig provides policy advice, dispute resolution and education to Members of Council on issues of ethics and integrity. The office operates independently from the City, allowing Ms. Craig to implement practices without bias or conflict of interest.
Get to know more about the role of an Integrity Commissioner, when to contact the office and more:
What is an Integrity Commissioner?
An Integrity Commissioner is an integrity officer who is appointed by Council to enforce and apply the rules of the Code of Conduct.
What is the Code of Conduct?
The Code of Ethical Conduct for Members of Council and Local Boards (PDF) is a document that contains 21 rules that the Mayor and Members of Council must follow in their actions and behaviours as decision makers for the municipality.
What are the main responsibilities of the Integrity Commissioner?
The Integrity Commissioner is responsible for providing policy advice, dispute resolution and education to Members of Council on the requirements found in the Code of Conduct. At the beginning of each term of Council, all new and returning Council Members meet with the Integrity Commissioner to discuss their obligations outlined by the Code. This is done to maintain high ethical standards at the municipality.
Delivering an annual report is another transparency activity undertaken by the Integrity Commissioner. This is facilitated to help ensure their mandate and activities stay closely aligned with the organization’s overall operations, and to report on the activities of the Office and areas of note that require special attention. The report serves as a public record that summarizes the matters the Office dealt with, the recommendations put forward and if the City took any actions. A collection of recent reports and statements issued by the Integrity Commissioner can be found online.
Did you know that Members of Council and City staff can contact the Integrity Commissioner for advice on the application of Code of Conduct rules?
Another responsibility of an Integrity Commissioner is providing policy advice in a number of areas, including the appropriate use of expense budgets in compliance with City policies, fair participation with community groups, navigating sensitive matters that overlap with confidentiality, human rights, harassment rules and so much more. Read some scenarios that provide examples of the types of advice (PDF) offered.
Have more questions?
Contact Commissioner Craig! Email integrity.commissioner@vaughan.ca or call 905-832-2281. You can also visit vaughan.ca/IntegrityCommissioner or watch this video to learn more about the role.
In addition to being the City’s Integrity Commissioner, Ms. Craig was also appointed as Vaughan’s part-time Lobbyist Registrar in January 2018. Learn more about this role at vaughan.ca/LobbyistRegistry.
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