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Kelowna mayoral candidate Tom Dyas has said that, should he win next month's election, he will create a register that lobbyists must sign if they wish to influence City Hall.
He also pledged to hire an “integrity commissioner” for the City of Kelowna, stressing his commitment to “transparency and accountability.”
Surrey is the only city in the province with a lobbyist registry, while Vancouver is the only city with an integrity commissioner.
“As Kelowna’s next Mayor I commit to creating a municipal lobbyist registry, where developers, residents groups or anyone seeking to influence government decision-making must register in a publicly viewable registry,” said Dyas.
“Residents often feel as though decisions are made well before they ever reach Council meetings. Creating a lobbyist registry will provide the public with information on how many times any individual(s) met with local government officials to influence their decision-making — it’s time to clear the air at City Hall.”
Dyas added that an independent commissioner is needed to ensure that when complaints come in regarding elected officials, they are reviewed "fairly."
“Kelowna is no longer a small town, it’s time we modernize our systems to ensure that City Hall has the transparency and accountability that residents expect from their decision-makers,” he explained.
Municipal elections will be held in Kelowna on Oct. 15.
For video interviews with mayoral and council candidates, head here.
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