Ministry of Municipal Services Responses to Our Questions
On Sept 3 2024, Medicine Hat City Council decided to ask the MInistry for a Municipal Inspection. They did this without knowing the costs or the effects on administration.
Last fall, nearly 8000 Medicine Hat residents signed an official petition for a Municipal Inspection. The signatures fell short of the required 20% of the population to be deemed sufficient.
Council ignored the petition at that time.
Now that Council has been thoroughly spanked by Justice Nation via the Judicial Review on the Mayoral Sanctions, they are requesting a Municipal Inspection “of the Administration, the Mayor and Council of the City of Medicine Hat”.
We heard about a meeting that Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver had with Council during Stampede Week.
I reached out to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs on Sept 3 before the City Council meeting and received this reply from Press Secretary, Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Heather Jenkins.
“Minister McIver met with all members of council in late July and provided options for support available through the province. Council was encouraged to request, by way of council resolution, the support they may want to pursue. Municipal Affairs has not received a request for an inspection from any individual councillor.”
It has been speculated that with an election only 13 months away, that Council is now requesting the inspection to delay answering questions
There have been concerns expressed by the public about Council being able to pick and choose what will be inspected. I again reached out to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs about this concern. I also asked if the Ministry had the power to inspect the way the City has effectively weaponized the FOIP process. I received this reply from Press Secretary, Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Heather Jenkins.
”The Minister of Municipal Affairs would determine whether to conduct an inspection and the scope of the inspection. The ministry does not have authority over the FOIP Act, questions about FOIP are best directed to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.”
