Voters, not City Hall, will decide future elections

As Mayor, I will change how Winnipeg runs elections so voters, not whoever holds the keys to City Hall, decide future contests.

A fair election is a basic test of good government. People should hear from every candidate on equal ground and know the office is working for the city, not for a campaign. That builds trust and produces better decisions after the vote, because the winner earned the job in the open.

The province already limits government advertising in the 60 days before a fixed-date election. Winnipeg can meet that standard. I will close gaps in the Code of Conduct so official events cannot double as campaign stops and so the public has a watchdog while the campaign is on.

I will put the following measures on the council agenda:

1. A municipal announcement blackout in the final 30 days before election day. Emergency notices, public safety warnings and legally required publications will continue. Promotional events and office-branded tours will wait. If a file is ready, administration can release it without a candidate at the podium.

2. Unpaid leave for campaign work. Anyone in a mayor’s or councillor’s office who is managing a campaign will take unpaid leave once nominations close. Taxpayers pay for city work. Campaigns use their own time and money.

3. City communications will speak for the corporation. Releases in the blackout window will come from departments, not from people seeking another term.

4. Integrity Commissioner oversight during the campaign. The Integrity Commissioner will receive complaints throughout the campaign. Rules enforced only after ballots are counted do not protect voters when it matters.

5. Work plans that serve the city, not the election calendar. Files will move when they are ready, not because September is useful for a photo.

6. No council or committee of council meetings within 45 days of an election date, excluding emergencies related to natural disasters.

7. Automatic post-election review by an impartial, nonpartisan panel of experts to evaluate the performance of the Chief Electoral Officer and the election and provide recommendations for improvement.

8. Restricting the Chief Electoral Officer from holding the office of CAO or CFO at any time during a 4-year period before or after an election.

These rules will apply to the next mayor and the next council, including me. I will not write standards for other people and then stand outside them. Where council cannot act alone, I will ask the province to amend the City of Winnipeg Charter.

Better days are ahead, Winnipeg, with changes that make sense. Fair elections are one of those changes. As your Mayor, I will lay that groundwork so the next campaign is fought on ideas, records, and results.

Kevin Klein