Integrity Commissioner

Champlain Township building

The Township of Champlain is required by the province of Ontario to establish a code of conduct for its Members of Council and appoint an Integrity Commissioner who reports to Council and who is responsible for the application of the Council Code of Conduct of the Corporation of the Township of Champlain.

On This Page

  1. Functions
  2. Integrity Commissioner By-Law
  3. Breach of the Council Code of Conduct
  4. Who can Make a Complaint?
  5. How to Make a Complaint?
  6. Result of a Complaint

Functions

 The Integrity Commissioner carries out the following functions in an independent and impartial manner:

  • The application of the code of conduct for members of council and the code of conduct for members of local boards.
  • The application of any procedures, rules and policies of the municipality and local boards governing the ethical behaviour of members of council and of local boards.
  • The application of sections 5, 5.1 and 5.2 of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act to members of council and of local boards.
  • Requests from members of council and of local boards for advice respecting their obligations under the code of conduct applicable to the member.
  • Requests from members of council and of local boards for advice respecting their obligations under a procedure, rule or policy of the municipality or of the local board, as the case may be, governing the ethical behaviour of members.
  • Requests from members of council and of local boards for advice respecting their obligations under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.
  • The provision of educational information to members of council, members of local boards, the municipality and the public about the municipality’s codes of conduct for members of council and members of local boards and about the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

Integrity Commissioner By-Law

Read the Integrity Commissioner By-Law

 Breach of the Council Code of Conduct

Members of the public, Members of Council or any member of the Township's local boards, and Township employees can file a complaint to the Integrity Commissioner if they believe or witness a Member of Council not following the Code of Conduct.

Who can Make a Complaint?

Any person who has reasonable and probable grounds to believe that a Member of Council of the Township of Champlain has contravened the Council Code of Conduct can make a complaint to the Integrity Commissioner.

How to Make a Complaint

Formal complaints should be submitted on the established Complaint Protocol Form or made via written request. The complaint form may be printed from the website or obtained from the Clerk's Department. All complaints must be submitted in a sealed envelope marked "private and confidential" and should contain the following information:

  1. Name of Municipality;
  2. Complainant's name, mailing address, telephone number and e-mail address (if applicable);
  3. Nature and background of the complaint;
  4. Any activities undertaken (if any) to resolve the concern;
  5. Any other relevant information;
  6. Affidavit and Original signature;
  7. Cheque for $100 made payable to the Township of Champlain.

Submit formal complaints by mail or deliver directly to:

Integrity Commissioner
c/o The Clerk or CAO
Township of Champlain
948 Pleasant Corner Road East
Vankleek Hill, ON  K0B 1R0

A complaint filed with the Clerk or Chief Administrative Officer will be forwarded to the Integrity Commissioner without delay and without added comments.

If the complainant wishes to keep his or her identity secret, he or she can print the complaint form from the website, complete it and sign it in front of a Commissioner for taking affidavits of his or her choice, and mail it, along with a cheque for $100 payable to Champlain Township, to the attention of the Integrity Commissioner.

The decision as to whether or not the complaint will be dealt with on a confidential basis shall be in the entire discretion of the Integrity Commissioner, whose decision shall be final.  Consequently, complainants should be aware that depending on the nature of the complaint and the circumstances surrounding it, the Integrity Commissioner may decide to reveal the name of the complainant, in which case the complainant has to be ready and willing from the outset to assume the fact that his or her identity will become public and known to all, including the Member of Council being the subject of the complaint.

It is to be noted that the Integrity Commissioner also has the discretion to refuse to investigate any complaint if it is outside his or her jurisdiction, if it is frivolous, vexatious, fails to demonstrate that it is meaningful or if the complainant fails to provide information requested by the Integrity Commissioner, as per By-law 2024-71 of the Township of Champlain.  The $100 deposit will be refunded if the complaint is accepted and the Integrity Commissioner conducts an investigation.

Champlain Township Integrity Commissioner : Jean-Jacques Lacombe

Breach of Council Code of Conduct Complaint Form

Result of a Complaint

To the extent possible, the Integrity Commissioner will submit his report within 60 days of receiving a complaint to the Council or local board, as the case may be. In the case of a contravention of the "Code of Conduct" or a breach of ethics, he will submit his recommendations as to the penalties to be imposed to the Member in default.

Further information regarding the Office of the Integrity Commissioner and the Complaint Protocol may be obtained by referring to By-law 2024-71. 

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