Premier Danielle Smith addresses the media in Brooks, Alta., on Friday. (Eli J. Ridder/CHAT News)

By Eli J. Ridder | @EliRidder

Premier Smith says code of conduct needs review amid controversy in Medicine Hat

Apr 5, 2024 | 1:12 PM

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Premier Danielle Smith said Friday her government is looking into the possibility of changes to municipal code of conduct requirements after Medicine Hat’s mayor was charged with misconduct and had her powers taken away.

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“I’ve asked our minister to make sure that we’re looking at the legislation to see if we need to give better guidelines,” Smith said of the code.

“It really shouldn’t be used as a way of just scoring political points from one council member who disagrees with another.”

Smith was answering questions after she announced provincial funding for a new Brooks Junior High School building, one of several schools getting replaced or upgraded as part of the 2024 budget.

The premier, who is also the Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA, said she is “monitoring” the situation at Medicine Hat city hall.

“From what I’ve seen, it looks like we need to make a few more guardrails around how code of conducts are exercised,” she said.

Smith’s response on Friday could bode well for a group of residents asking for Medicine Hat city council to submit to an inspection by the provincial municipal affairs ministry.