On Monday, in the absence of Mayor Guy Pilon, Vaudreuil-Dorion councillors Luc Marsan, François Séguin, Paul Dumoulin and Paul Normand voted against the proposal by councillor Jasmine Sharma to amend the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for elected officials.

Independent councillors Karine Lechasseur and Diane Morin voted in favour of their colleague's proposal.

At the November 6 meeting, Ms. Sharma tabled a notice of motion to amend the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for Elected Officials of Vaudreuil-Dorion to include specific standards of civility.

"The aim of this proposal was to improve, in an open and consultative process, the climate within the current municipal council, but also to equip ourselves with a framework of shared values, which would provide future councils with a solid foundation. I think that in order to attract young people, people from diverse backgrounds and more women to municipal politics, we need to make a change in practice," said the councillor the day after the meeting. 

The councillor also denounced the refusal to discuss her proposal prior to the vote. At the meeting, the councillor pointed out that during the discussions in committee of the whole, no questions were asked by the various councillors.

Instead, comments were made after the vote, something the councillor denounced, pointing out that she would have been open to welcoming her colleagues' concerns and modifying the elements that irritated them.

"I would have appreciated it so much. When I asked everyone if they had any questions or comments, everyone remained silent. I think that shows a lack of respect," she said.

Acting as deputy mayor in Mr. Pilon's absence, Councillor Paul Dumoulin indicated that, as far as the other members of the council were concerned, the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for elected municipal officials was acceptable to them in its current form. He also pointed out that civility is one of the Town's values. 

Mr. Dumoulin also reminded the councillor that, despite the fact that she sits in opposition, Ms. Sharma participates in the various working committees, receives the necessary documents at the same time as her colleagues, and has the opportunity to ask any questions she may have. 

Forming a committee

Ms. Sharma also requested that a working table comprising the municipal council, the general management, the human resources department and the clerk's office be set up by December 2023, in order to begin a process of reflection to specify the measures to be taken in the event of repeated incivility and to define control and sanction mechanisms.

This proposal was also rejected by the councillors. "We think it's a lot of civil servants, that it's going to make our rules more cumbersome. It's going to add to the workload of civil servants. That's one of the reasons why we're against the changes, the amendments," said Dumoulin.

Although elected officials from Mayor Pilon's party refused to allow Vaudreuil-Dorion to take the lead in adopting such a proposal, Councillor Sharma has no intention of abandoning the project.

"I'm disappointed to see that my colleagues in the Mayor's Party have refused to adopt a position of openness, choosing instead to play 'old politics'. For my part, I'm looking ahead and trying to equip future municipal councils, which I hope will be even more diverse. That's my vision of politics," concludes Jasmine Sharma.