Harassment complaints within town council prompt province to postpone Kippens election
CBC
If you drive along the residential streets of Kippens, a town of about 2,000 on the west coast of Newfoundland, the driveways and front lawns this week remain strikingly bare.
Unlike all other municipalities across the province — which tally votes for their municipal governments on Tuesday — in Kippens, there are no election signs to be found. That's because the Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs deferred the election in Kippens until Nov. 30, giving government officials two months to investigate harassment complaints within the town council. The postponement will allow the department to "conclude its special inspection," which the department says is in its final stages, according to a statement emailed to CBC.
Delaying the election will "allow the process to be concluded in a timely manner with participation from all parties," it said.
The department isn't saying specifically who's harassing whom, but at least one person who plans to run when campaigning begins says she knows what's going on here. Resident Michelle MacIsaac says there are major issues within the entire council — including harassment, bullying and conflicts of interest — issues that she says drove her to put her name forward and run for council herself.
She also hopes the next council looks a lot different from the current one. "I was offended and outraged and I still am," she said.
"But now I'm thinking that extra two months will give more people the time, a chance to put their name in and run."
Following these harassment complaints, the Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs is developing legislation that will require all municipalities to establish a code of conduct for councillors and employees that will help municipalities identify and address respectful workplace issues.
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