Photo: In accordance with the Government of Alberta’s direction, the Town of Hanna council repealed its councillor code of conduct bylaw. All readings necessary to repeal council code of conduct bylaw 994-2018 were passed at the Feb. 10 regular meeting of council (pictured). Screenshot

In accordance with the Government of Alberta’s direction, the Town of Hanna council repealed its councillor code of conduct bylaw. All readings necessary to repeal councillor code of conduct Bylaw 994-2018 were passed at the Feb. 10 regular meeting of council.

Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Matthew Norburn presented councillors with a recommendation to repeal the bylaw after, in effect, being instructed by the provincial government to do so.

“In 2025, the Province of Alberta amended the Municipal Government Act (MGA) and repealed the legislated requirement for municipalities to maintain a councillor code of conduct,” stated Norburn’s report to council. “As a result, municipal code-of-conduct bylaws no longer have legal force or effect under provincial legislation.”

During discussion, Norburn clarified that, since the code of conduct was removed from the MGA, it is in effect pointless to have such a bylaw. “So even if we have a code of conduct on our books, that’s deemed null and void,” said Norburn to council.

“So there is no point for us to keep it on our books … just to remove that.”

The CAO joked about what the removal means. “You are free to do as you please,” said Norburn, a comment that was received with laughter from councillors.

The CAO pointed out the Town of Hanna’s newly approved procedural bylaw contains some expectations of conduct. “So there you would have noted too in the procedural bylaw there were some brief comments on expected behaviour, but that’s probably as strict as we can be,” said the CAO.

Councillors gave all readings necessary for the code of conduct repealing bylaw to come into effect.

Former Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver was quoted last year as saying the reason the UCP wanted codes of conduct removed is that they were not being used as intended, but rather were being used to bully and intimidate people.

Although a code of conduct bylaw is no longer in force, there are still some decorum requirements. For example, Hanna council, at the Feb. 10 meeting, approved first and second readings of its new procedural bylaw, which governs how council meetings are run. Within that bylaw is the following section:

Conduct of Members

When a member is addressing the Chair, every other member shall remain quiet, shall not interrupt the speaker except on a Point of Privilege or a Point of Order, and shall not carry on a private conversation.

When a member is addressing Council, they shall not shout or immoderately raise their voice, or use profane, vulgar, or offensive language; shall not speak on matters other than the matter then before Council; shall obey the rules of procedure of the Council; and shall not comment on the person of any member.

If any member acts contrary to Subsection 3.71, they shall be immediately admonished by the Chair.

A member called to order by the Chair shall immediately cease speaking but may afterward explain their position in making the remark that was called to order.

No member shall leave the Council Chambers after a question is put to a vote until the vote is taken.