North Battleford will be proceeding without criminal record checks for its Oct. 24 civic and school board election.
In fact, the procedure for the coming 2012 civic election will be similar to what it was in the past, with North Battleford also opting against disclosing campaign contributions and expenses, switching to a mail-in ballot or establishing an enumeration list.
Three resolutions setting the procedures for the coming municipal and school board votes passed at council, but the resolution on the criminal record checks proved the most contentious.
A resolution against requiring the criminal record checks passed by a 4-3 vote.
The idea of going ahead with record checks was a topic of discussion both in North Battleford and the town of Battleford in recent weeks. The Cities Act, s.63.1, provides that a council may, by bylaw, require every candidate to submit a criminal record check.
However, a bylaw needed to be passed at least 90 days before the election, meaning a bylaw to require criminal record checks to be submitted with nomination forms would have had to be ready to be passed as early as the next council meeting.
As well, under the province's rules, criminal record checks would neeed to be completed at least 30 days before nomination papers were submitted. It was proposed a "name based search" version, as opposed to one requiring fingerprints, would meet that 30-day requirement.
Council was informed the consensus from other communities was that they were not going with criminal record checks, but Coun, Ron Crush, a staunch proponent of record checks, noted he found at least two that did - La Ronge and Green Lake.
Crush made the case for North Battleford, setting a precedent and urged the criminal record checks be brought in, saying it helped increase the transparency of council.
"I believe transparency starts at the upper levels of our organization," said Crush, who said he would vote against the resolution to proceed without the checks.
Coun. Trent Houk voiced his opposition to record checks. While he saw the point of record checks for sensitive jobs such as working with the elderly, in group care homes or dealing with children, he saw no reason for the checks when running for office.
"All we're creating is more process and more paperwork," said Houk, who said it was everyone's right to run for office. He summed up by calling the idea "bizarre."
In the end councillors Brad Pattinson and Ray Fox, and Mayor Ian Hamilton, joined Houk in supporting the resolution.
As a result, the issue is dead and no bylaw to require the checks will be brought forward, at least for 2012.
The issue of whether or not to include record checks was the most contentious of the recommendations discussed at council with regard to the upcoming election.
Other recommendations included:
It was recommended enumeration of electors and preparation of a voters list not be conducted. Instead, the plan is to continue the practice of registering voters at the polls on election day or at the advance poll.
It was recommended the printing of candidates names' on ballots be alphabetical in order of surname, as has been the case in past votes.
It was recommended establishment of a bylaw disclosing campaign contributions and expenses not be implemented. Previous councils had not implemented this change and according to City Clerk Debbie Wohlberg's memo dated June 6, this has not been an issue in the past.
The resolution on those three recommendations regarding the October 24 civic/school board election passed unanimously.
A third resolution, recommending mail in ballots not used for also passed. Mail in ballots was an idea being contemplated in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert and Melfort, however Wohlberg stated that in discussion with other cities the consensus is to not utilize it in 2012.
