Wanted: Ethics/Integrity Commissioner

Yessirreebob, time indeed for such a job description.

Especially in Coldstream.

Click on this image to enlarge ... and discover what's wrong.

Haven't found it?

Well, let's back up a bit then:
Telus described by Wikipedia as:  "Telus Corporation (stylized as TELUS) is a Canadian national telecommunications company that provides a wide range of telecommunications products and services including internet access, voice, entertainment, healthcare, video, satellite and IPTV television. The company is based in the Vancouver, British Columbia area; it was originally based in Edmonton, Alberta, before its merger with BCTel in 1999....:

So have you found it yet?

The letter from Telus, offering fibre optic service, is co-signed by Mayor Jim Garlick of Coldstream!
What the hell is an elected official doing scratching the back (condoning sale of a service) from a non-Crown corporation????

What indeed!

Sure, telus used to be a Crown corporation when it was incorporated in Alberta, but it merged with BC Tel in 1999.  And besides...other corporations offer competitive services to telus.

So was it ethical for Coldstream's mayor to co-sign the above letter?
I think not!

But Garlick likely felt a precedent--therefore, his duplication was okay--was set when Edmonton's mayor recently did the exact same thing!  Read the Hicks on Biz story here.  It's clear from some of the comments at the conclusion of that story that folks are not prepared to pay $100 a month more for the fibre optic service offered by telus.

Condoned by an Edmonton mayor?
I frankly don't care.
This "crossing the line" into providing support for a company's service is a lack of ethics, a lack of integrity.
Especially since Telus is listed on the stock exchange...

Seems I'm not the only person offended by such an action.
The topic has even been slated for discussion at the upcoming Union of B.C. Municipalities meeting (see page 68 of 130 here) which reads, in part:

  "...local government in B.C. regarding matters of questionable conduct

 and breaches of code of conduct of elected officials...

result(ing) in expensive quasi-judicial processes

eroding public confidence,

 strained internal relationships,

 and produce limited viable outcomes..."

Ahem.

It seems, though, that even the UBCM will study the topic to death, as evidenced by the same page:  "

"Rather than adopt a policy position endorsing an Integrity Commissioner concept at this time, it is recommended that the resolution be referred to the UBCM Executive. In cooperation with the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development and the Local Government Management Association of BC, additional policy work would be undertaken over the next 12 months and a full report and recommendation provided at the 2017 UBCM Convention."

Jeezzuzz! 

Let's see the definition of integrity:

in·teg·ri·ty

inˈteɡrədē/

noun

noun: integrity

1.

the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.

"he is known to be a man of integrity"

synonyms:

honesty, probity, rectitude, honor, good character, principle(s), ethics, morals, righteousness, morality, virtue, decency, fairness, scrupulousness, sincerity, truthfulness, trustworthiness "I never doubted his integrity"

 

We're not saying that money changed hands (as it did with the $1 million dollars to each of 18 regional districts to coerce/support/recommend/condone the Multi-Material Recycling program--which today remains a sham!), but what Garlick is doing is wrong.
Flat out wrong.

Multi-Material B.C. is today unaffectionately called Mini-Material B.C.

"What'll we call Mayor Garlick after a review of his integrity," wonders Kia.

How about Unelectable Garlick?