Just another indication of how much power has shifted from the political to the administrative side of the courtyard at City Hall:
For the second time in two working days, they (City Councillors) were asked to sign a confidentiality agreement before they attended the closed-door seminar with city officials. — Winnipeg Free Press
I understand that administration gets frustrated when Councillors blab the contents of closed-door discussions, but I’m wondering what authority the CAO has to force his own bosses to sign a confidentiality agreement? And what if some of them decided not to sign it? Would they be barred from the seminar?
While I think most Councillors would benefit from keeping their mouths shut a bit more, forcing a muzzle on them certainly doesn’t create the impression of a democratic and transparent government.
Filed under: winnipeg blog | Tagged: City of Winnipeg
Is there a new sheriff in town?
Councillors are our ELECTED representatives at City Hall and should not be treated like two-year old’s. In theory, they are supposed to speak for us. If the CAO is seeking to control what they can say and when they can say it … then he, along with our mayor, is explicitly undermining democracy at City Hall.
Nobody with integrity or a backbone would sign one of these agreements – pity us, we seem to be ‘governed’ by spineless jelly-fish.
I think I will run in the next election.If elected, first order of business is to fire the CAO and his staff.
I would rather not have City staff operate as a “business” unit. I much prefer a culture of wanting to serve the citizens rather than trying to find ways to nickel dime them to death.
Buts thats just me.