In this episode, Munir Haque welcomes Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver to the podcast to discuss Alberta's Bill 20, a legislative reform aiming to improve transparency and accountability in municipal elections while empowering voters. Mr. McIver explains the bill as introducing the creation of municipal political parties in Calgary and Edmonton, whose affiliations will be listed on ballots, reflecting the de facto partisan nature of previous elections. They talk about corporate and union donations, vote counting, and oversight, as well as how public consultation shaped the bill.

Bill 20 is explained as also expanding provincial oversight, allowing the province to repeal municipal bylaws deemed contrary to the public interest and to quicken the dismissal of councillors in extreme cases. Mr. McIver cites examples, such as Edmonton's unauthorized mask mandate during COVID-19 and Calgary's excessive electricity tax collection, as such instances. The aim is to prevent municipalities from overstepping their authority or acting against Albertan’s interests. Despite criticisms, Ric McIver stresses that these changes are designed to serve the public and not elected officials.

Munir learned that public consultation played a key role in shaping Bill 20, and results were published to ensure transparency. He talks about concerns raised over the impact on independent candidates and Ric McIver defines the reforms as a way to level the playing field by enhancing voter awareness. Using the province’s enhanced powers sparingly, while keeping features for holding the government accountable in place, is the goal. Ultimately, this conversation with Ric McIver reveals that the reforms intend to strengthen voter confidence and uphold the integrity of municipal governance in Alberta.

About Ric McIver:

Ric McIver was sworn in as the Minister of Municipal Affairs on June 9, 2023. He previously served as the Minister of Transportation, Minister of Infrastructure, Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour, and Minister of Municipal Affairs.

Prior to his service as an elected official at the provincial level, Mr. McIver served 3 terms on Calgary City Council. During that time, he served on the Police Commission and as Chair of the Calgary Housing Company, among many committee assignments. He has been a Calgary Stampede volunteer for over 15 years.

Mr. McIver is a husband, father, and grandfather who is active on several charitable and community causes. He chose Alberta as his home in 1981 and has been a proud resident since that time.

Ric McIver was first elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Calgary-Hays on April 23, 2012 and was re-elected on May 5, 2015, April 19, 2019, and May 29, 2023.

Contact Munir Haque | ActionEdge Executive Development:

Contact Ric McIver:

Website: Alberta.ca/Minister-of-Municipal-Affairs
Ric McIver on LinkedIn

Podcast Production:

Recording: PushySix Studios
Production Assistance: Astronomic Audio

Transcript

Ric McIver: [00:00:02] If an ordinary person with an ordinary job does a good job of it, they can probably keep their job for as long as they want. Being elected is not like that. No matter how bad a job, I or a municipal councilor, does, you're stuck with us for four years. No matter how good a job we do, we have to reapply for that job every four years. That's why you need to vote carefully. Because when you give somebody that job, you're stuck with them for four years. And if they're doing a great job, that's a happy four years. And if they're doing a terrible job, that's a long four years. So after all the rest of the stuff, there is no substitute for voting carefully.

Munir Haque: [00:00:40] Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of The Boardroom 180 Podcast. I'm your host Munir Haque, an executive coach and senior board strategist. I have partnered with Action Edge Executive Development to lead their governance and political acumen division. In each episode, we meet with governance leaders and step into their boardrooms, where decisions shape the world around us. In this episode, we look at a pivotal moment in Alberta's governance as the provincial government passed Bill 20, a landmark legislation poised to redefine the landscape of transparency, accountability and accessibility in local elections. This is according to the province. In a democratic society, the cornerstone of trust lies in the integrity of our electoral process and the accountability of our elected officials. According to the Province of Alberta, with Bill 20, otherwise known as the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, the province seeks to uphold these fundamental principles by making amendments to both the Local Authorities Act and the Municipal Government Act, the MGA. According to the Municipal Affairs Minister, the Honorable Ric McIver, these proposed reforms will enhance transparency in the local election processes, empower voters and demand clear accountability from the municipally elected representatives, thereby safeguarding the integrity of the democratic process and strengthening the voter confidence in the lead up to the next municipal election seasons in 2025. As Minister of Community Affairs, he was the sponsor of Bill 20. Some of the key legislative changes include: it allows the creation of municipal political parties, initially limited to Calgary and Edmonton, where parties can endorse candidates and affiliations will appear on the ballots. There are campaign contribution changes allowing corporations and unions to contribute to local election campaigns, and there will be manual vote counting, which will replace electronic.

Munir Haque: [00:02:31] With regard to governance and accountability at the municipal level, it changes councilor training and conflict of interest rules, provides new disqualification rules, enhances provincial oversight by giving the province increased power to amend municipal bylaws and remove councilors. With regard to housing and development, it proposes measures to streamline and accelerate housing development process. The bill was passed earlier this year and most of the legislation came into force on October 31st, 2024 to share insights on governance implications of the change legislation. We are honored to have the Minister of Municipal Affairs on The Boardroom 180 Podcast. Ric McIver was first elected as a member of Legislative Assembly for Calgary-hays in 2012, and subsequently reelected in 2015, 2019 and 2023. He was sworn in as a member of the municipal affairs on my birthday, June 9th, in 2023, likely just a coincidence. He previously served as the Minister of Transportation, Minister of Infrastructure, as well as the Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labor. Prior to his service as an elected official at the provincial level, Mr. McIver served three terms on the Calgary City Council. During that time, he served on the Police Commission and as the chair of the Calgary Housing Company, among many other assignments. He has been a long term volunteer for over 15 years with the Calgary Stampede. Welcome to the show, Mr. McIver.

Ric ...

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