Town councillor Marni Fedeyko believes Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver made the right call in moving to eliminate municipal codes of conduct.
But she’s left with two burning questions if the legislation receives Royal Assent: Who will cover the legal costs councillors incur defending themselves, and will she be allowed to serve as deputy mayor?
On April 8, McIver announced the province intends to mothball the codes and instead work with municipalities to create a provincewide standard. He said the government has received indications the rules have been misused and have contributed to dysfunction among some local elected officials.
If passed, McIver said all sanctions imposed on councillors under the current codes would be eliminated.
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Fedeyko agrees the codes have been abused and says it's been costly for councillors to defend themselves.
“Because it’s not just my case, but I just calculated my recent expenses, and now I’m up to probably about $75,000 in legal fees,” Fedeyko said. “I would like the province or the Town of Cochrane to pay me back for my legal costs that I should not have had to undertake as a member of council — not to mention the fact that it has affected my entire family.”
Those costs aren’t yet finalized. She said she’s still working with two law firms and isn’t finished fighting.
She’s vowed to continue advocating to ensure no one else faces what she has, though she acknowledges the toll has been significant — and not just financial.
“When it’s already cost people money, their reputations, their time, their stress... I at least want my legal expenses paid. I’m not looking to make money — that’s not it. I just don’t want money taken from my family for something I probably should never have had to fight in the first place.”
“I’m super happy that the provincial government has realized there is a problem with the code of conduct. However, just wiping it away and saying it doesn’t exist anymore is only one part of the solution,” she added. “The other part is fixing the damage already done to certain members of council over the last seven years.”
Fedeyko also believes she should be allowed to serve a three-month term as deputy mayor. Council initially approved her appointment but later withdrew it due to the sanctions.
The role holds no financial benefit, she said, but it comes at an important time for her and her family.
“My kid graduates — I could speak at her grad. Let me have that opportunity,” she said. “I feel like things have been taken from me unfairly. There’s no monetary gain, but there is meaning for me as a member of council.”
The sanctions imposed on Fedeyko were the result of a council code of conduct complaint. An OH&S complaint lodged against her was separate from the code of conduct process.
Town administration is reviewing the impacts of Bill 50, including this component, and expects to issue a statement next week.
