Code of ethics and professional conduct for elected officials

At the regular meeting of March 7, 2022, members of City Council proceeded with the adoption of by-law 947-2022 concerning the “Revised Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for elected officials of the City of Huntingdon.”

Under the provisions of Bill 109: Municipal Ethics and Good Conduct Act (2010, c. 27), every municipality must adopt a code of ethics and professional conduct for elected officials. This is to ensure the explicit adherence of all council members of a municipality to its own core values in terms of ethics, to provide for the adoption of rules of conduct, and determine mechanisms for implementation and monitoring of these rules. The values set out in the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct must guide any person to whom it applies in assessing the ethical rules that apply to it.

Under the provisions of this Act, every municipality must adopt a code of ethics and professional conduct for elected officials in order to:

  1. Ensure the explicit membership of council members of the municipality as well as adherence to the main values of the municipality with respect to ethics;
  2. Establish standards of behavior that promote the integration of these values in the process of decision-making by elected officials and, in general, in their conduct;
  3. Prevent ethical conflicts, but, if they do occur, help solve them effectively and responsibly;
  4. Provide for the adoption of rules of ethics;
  5. Identify mechanisms for implementation and monitoring of these ethical rules.

Code of ethics and professional conduct for elected officials.pdf

List of the elected officials had the formation.pdf

Violations of the code

The entry into force of the Ethics and Professional Conduct in Municipal Matters Act (LEDMM) on 2 December 2010 gives citizens an additional means to inform the Quebec Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy concerning breaches of established ethics and professional conduct rules of elected officials.

Breaches of the code of ethics and professional conduct of a municipality may be the subject of an investigation by the Quebec Municipal Commission. To this end, a request must be submitted to the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry who will conduct a preliminary examination of the complaint.

Requests for preliminary examination under the municipal ethics and good conduct act

These requests will be subject to special treatment that requires the application be written under oath, motivated and accompanied, where appropriate, any supporting documents.

The processing of such request by the Ministry shall not exceed a period of 15 days beginning at the time the complaint is deemed complete. If the record meets the eligibility criteria under the law, that is to say that the request is not frivolous or vexatious and is not unfounded, it will be forwarded to the Municipal Board of Quebec.

In addition, the application may be deemed admissible only if the observed shortcomings relate to the actions of an elected official after the entry into force of the Code.

For more information, please contact the Office of the Complaints Commissioner at:

Office of Complaints Commissioner
Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy
10, rue Pierre-Olivier Chauveau
Chauveau Wing, 4e étage
Québec (Québec)
G1R 4J3

Phone: 418 691-2071
Fax: 418 644-9863
Email: plaintes@mamrot.gouv.qc.ca

Advice, recommendations and guidelines

The Act establishing the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy provides that the Minister may give advice and guidance and make recommendations to a municipal body on any aspect of its administration. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy tracks the guidelines that have been issued and can assist organizations in their implementation.