For more transparency

Municipalities are local governments. Since 2017, they have been given all the tools to sustainably develop the environmental, social and economic aspects that contribute to our quality of life.

It follows that, with increased powers, the council’s decisions should be better presented, explained and debated or commented.

Unfortunately, our sessions, like those in many other cities, are boring. The items on the agenda are called up and the role of advisors is limited to proposing or supporting a resolution, which will generally be adopted unanimously, without any context or comment.

If you are with us during the council meetings, in person or via webcast, it is almost impossible for you to follow and to know what is going on. A resolution concerns the awarding of a contract for the repair of the roadway for a few million dollars? Unfortunately, you won’t know any more.

You would like to know on which streets the work will be done and when it will be done; or how many bidders submitted a price offer? No chance! Within seconds, after being adopted, the council will move on to another topic, without any relevant information having been shared with our citizens.

Franky said, in terms of transparency, in 2023, it is possible to do better; much better.

As a result, we should not be surprised by the low rate of citizen participation in municipal affairs, or even in municipal elections. We cannot be sorry for a low participation rate when comes Poll Day, when nothing has been done to generate interest, in the previous four years, in the affairs of the municipality. Voters do not know what their elected officials are about, they do not feel engaged and, as a result, they do not go to the polls in large numbers.

Beaconsfield is no exception.

Files are discussed and decisions are taken during working sessions held behind closed doors. Nothing illegal, but it’s far from optimal. In Ontario, a meeting “that significantly advances the work or decision-making of the board or committee” must be held publicly.

The National Assembly, taking inspiration from Ontario, tabled a bill in October 2021 aimed at making work sessions public “in order to strengthen transparency”. This was one of the recommendations of the Charbonneau Commission.

Certain cities are already taking a turn towards more transparency. Caucuses are public and council meetings allow for issues to be publicly commented on before voting. Near us, in Westmount, this municipality has for several years published the minutes of its caucus meetings while taking care to explain most items presented on the agenda of council meetings.

In Westmount, as in several other cities, it is city councilors who present the items on the agenda of council meetings. Here in Beaconsfield, each item is presented by the city clerk and, unfortunately, the councilors are generally limited to the role of a voting machine.

So why not more transparency in Beaconsfield? Good question! It is certainly possible.

However, this question was raised during a municipal council meeting a few months ago. Mayor Bourelle then said that this was not something that would happen. Although I know that some colleagues are open to the idea of greater transparency during our caucuses and council meetings, the majority prefer to maintain the status quo.

As we cannot expect different results by using the same variables – by following the same recipe– new elements, more inclined or favorable to greater transparency, will have to join the council for any real change to come.

This is a matter which is therefore not resolved but is only just in its infancy.