Winnipeg city council nudges forward plans for ethics commissioner

City council has made a move towards creating an office of ethics commissioner in Winnipeg, years after the idea was first proposed at city hall.

On Wednesday, a 2013 motion to have the City of Winnipeg make a plan to create the office was passed.

The motion calls for a "process and implementation" plan that will create the office "with the maximum authority under the charter."

The report has to include a review of best practices in other jurisdictions, human resource and labour implications, budgetary implications, legal implications and any other relevant considerations.

"This is a process we can use now to hold politicians and staff accountable," said Mayor Brian Bowman.

The original December 2013 motion requested the Province of Manitoba amend the City of Winnipeg charter to provide the proposed ethics commissioner with investigative powers – including the ability to call witnesses and evidence.

Those amendments still haven't been made.

As part of the motion, the city will also review its existing code of conduct and develop recommendations to make sure it's in line with other jurisdictions and the consequences of breaching the code are clearly defined.

City administration has 120 days to come up with a plan to create the job of ethics commissioner.