Working Towards Making Positive Change

May 24, 2017

Honoured to Hold Position as Councillor

By: Janice Lukes – South Winnipeg-St. Norbert City Councillor Ward Report

Canwest Community News Posted: 05/23/2017

I was elected by the citizens of South Winnipeg-St Norbert to be your representative at City Hall and to work towards making positive change for our community and the city as a whole.

It’s an honour to hold this position and to work on your behalf. I’m working on two initiatives that are at the core of how decisions are made at City Hall, and ultimately impact how your tax dollars are spent.

This article contains a brief overview but you can read more details on my website at www.janicelukes.ca under Ward Priorities — Accountability [please see Restricting Information to Select Members of City Council].

I and other councillors have requested a governance review. For the past 20 years, no mayor has supported holding a governance review. Why should City Hall conduct a governance review? Simply put, governance assures that corruption is minimized, the views of everyone are taken into account, and decisions are made in a fair and equitable manner.

After much discussion and debate on whether to hold a governance review or not, mayor Bowman and his executive policy committee (EPC) put the request into the 2018 budget process. There is no guarantee at this point a governance review will be funded. Often changes in governance can result in a shift of power — perhaps explaining why no mayor has initiated.

I and others are working hard to ensure funding is secured to review the current model, to look at best practices and to make changes to improve the governance of City Hall. Corporations, non-profit organizations, and even other municipal governments review their governance models regularly. I strongly believe it’s time we did the same at City Hall.

I’ve also brought forward an access to information motion that will be debated at the May 24 city council meeting.

Councillors who are not members of the mayor’s executive policy committee have recently been denied in-person meetings with departmental directors to answer questions regarding reports related to City business. This had never occurred before under any other mayor.

Reports prepared by the Public Service contain analysis and recommendations on a multitude of issues.

Often these reports are complex and lengthy, requiring clarification and further discussion. Councillors require good information to make decisions, to best represent the citizens of Winnipeg, and to ultimately determine how tax dollars are spent. It’s incomprehensible in this era of openness and transparency that this restriction has been applied. I am working to have it removed.

Thank you for your support and I always welcome comments at email jlukes@winnipeg.ca

Read more by Janice Lukes – South Winnipeg-St. Norbert City Councillor Ward Report.

Twitter link: https://janicelukes.ca/?p=9241