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2 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, Wednesday, July 20,1994 Section Two l|t Canadian §tatoan Former Publishers • Rev. W. R. Climie, 1854 -1878 • M. A. James, 1878 -1935 • George W. James, 1935 -1957 Produced weekly by James Publishing Company Limited P.O. Box 190,62 King St. W., Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3K9 905-623-3303 Fax 905-623-6161 For 140 Years, Our First Concern Has Been Our Community Publisher-John M. James Assoc. Publisher - Richard A. James Plant Manager - Donald J. Bishop Ad. Manager - Brian G . Purdy Editor - Peter Parrott Production Rick Patterson, Laurens Kaldeway, Doug Lugtenburg, Sharon McMullen, Barb Patterson, Ralph Rozema, Jim Snoek, Vance Sutherland, Jim Tuuramo Advertising ..Editorial. Laveme Morrison, Eva Westermann Brad Kelly, Lorraine Manfredo, Laura J. Richards Office Angela Luscher/Junia Hodge, Grace McGregor, Nancy Pleasance-Sturman, Marilyn Rutherford Will Disclosure Rules Discourage Candidates From Seeking Election ? Last week, there was an article in The Independent concerning concerning the provincial government's proposal to have all municipal politicians disclose their assets and liabilities. The Clarington Hydro Electric Commission took exception . and thought it was a bad idea. It so happened that an article, article, written by Martha Perkins, a prolific writer with Len Pizzey's Haliburton Echo, has just come to our attention. It was most timely because holiday time leaves us somewhat short staffed, so we have taken the liberty of borrowing it, as a relevant editorial. Your comments would be appreciated. appreciated. What would you say if someone came in to your office today and asked for a complete list of all your sources of income? What if that person could also find out whether, you and your spouse have financial interests in any other business? Would you willingly hand over the information? If such a scenario makes you queasy, and even angry, then you can understand why some people are having second second thoughts about running for municipal council this November. November. Proposed provincial legislation will make such disclosures mandatory for municipal politicians. Once elected, you would be obliged to write down a list of all your financial interests and sources of income, although not the actual amounts. You'd give this information to the clerk, who would be obliged to give it to anyone who asked for it. Like many of the laws suggested by the province, this one takes aim at a few bad apples by targeting the entire bunch, spoiling it for everyone. Toronto politics have been rife with court cases concerning politicians who use their positions to benefit themselves or their friends. To prevent this from happening - or at least to make them realize it will be easier to be caught - this new legislation was introduced. introduced. It gives the public an opportunity to check that their politicians are keeping the public's best interests in mind. This isn't to say that small-town politicians are too ethical ethical to use the same tricks as some of their urban brethren. But in small towns, it certainly is a lot more difficult. Don't forget, in small towns everyone knows when you buy a car and what it's worth. They know where your spouse works, they know where you live and if there's been a delivery of new appliances just after you awarded a contract for office furniture to the same company. They know if the person you hire for a job is married to your niece or third cousin or business associate. (It's sometimes more scary to realize how much people know without even having to ask!) But urban or rural councillor, every politician must indeed indeed be accountable to the public when the public's money is being spent. The intention of the new law is good, but its application is bad, primarily because the councillors have no safeguards. There's not accountability on the public's part, no obligation to treat the information circumspectly. You don't have to say why you want the information. You just walk in and ask for it, no questions asked. Once the information information is out in the public, there are no controls. The information information can be spitefully and maliciously (two other characteristics not absent from small town life) and it will remain in the public memory, whether the person is still in politics or not. Would you be willing to tell the world about your private finances for the opportunity to earn $6,000 a year? The legislation will scare off a lot of dishonest people, people, but it will sweep away many honest ones, too. There's an argument to be made that politicians should have to disclose this information, but it doesn't have to be to anyone who asks for it. Perhaps the information could be held in a public trust, with an arbitrator to decide whether a request for information is valid and applicable. Perhaps it could also be given to the clerk, who would then know when a councillor should be declaring a pecuniary interest. This may be an odd slant on the golden rule, but you should only ask politicians to do something that you'd be willing to do yourself. M.P. Next week's question: What do you like about living or working in Clarington? W<e Asked Do you think vandalism is a problem in Clarington? Why? . ■ . „ .And You Said David Grainer Orono "1 don't know much about the crime in this area. It is probably the same as everywhere." everywhere." Jane Eccles Bowmanville "Yes. Because there are too many bored youths, unfortunately." unfortunately." Martin Vroegh Courtice "I don't really know. Haven't seen that much, but any vandalism vandalism is a problem." Charlie Hastings Bowmanville "I really don't know. There isn't any in my neighborhood."