NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release 2009CD0051-000725 December 4, 2009

Ministry of Community and Rural Development Union of British Columbia Municipalities

 

ELECTIONS TASK FORCE GETS UNDERWAY

 

VICTORIA – A task force dedicated to reviewing and making recommendations for B.C.’s local government electoral process has held its first meeting. Co-chairs Bill Bennett, Minister of Community and Rural Development, and Harry Nyce, president of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM), announced the composition of the Local Government Elections Task Force and the scope of its work.

 

“The aim of the task force is to improve the fairness, accountability and transparency of the elections process at the local government level,” said Bennett. “We’re looking forward to working with UBCM to ensure legislative changes work for local governments and all British Columbians.”

 

“The elections task force will provide a forum to review and improve the legislation directing local government elections,” said Nyce. “In recent years, B.C. local governments have proposed a number of resolutions to amend the legislation, and we appreciate the Premier’s invitation to further explore specific issues related to elections.”

 

On Oct. 2, Premier Gordon Campbell announced that a special joint task force co-chaired by Bennett and Nyce would be making recommendations for changes to local government elections legislation. Two other UBCM designates and two government MLAs were confirmed at meetings on Nov. 27:

·         Surrey Councillor Barbara Steele, first vice-president, UBCM.

·         Quesnel Mayor Mary Sjostrom, third vice-president, UBCM.

·         Donna Barnett, Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA.

·         Douglas Horne, Coquitlam-Burke Mountain MLA.

 

The task force, which met Dec. 3, will review specific issues related to various local government elections topics, including campaign financing, enforcement, the role of B.C.’s chief electoral officer, the election cycle, the corporate vote, candidate eligibility and other items to be mutually agreed upon.

 

The task force recognizes the importance of seeking feedback from a diverse range of stakeholders and will invite input from local governments, representative groups and the public on topics under review.

 

 

 

The recommendations of the task force are to be presented to the Province no later than May 30, 2010, in time for approved legislative changes to be implemented for the 2011 local government elections.

 

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Contact:

Public Affairs Bureau Ministry of Community and Rural Development 250 387-4089

Paul Taylor Relationships and Communications Advisor UBCM 250 356-2938

 

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