Criminal Record Checks for Local Election Candidates?

On Monday, Feb 6th - Castlegar City Council debated a resolution, as proposed by Castlegar Mayor Lawrence Chernoff, to go forward to the local Association of Kootenay-Boundary Local Governments that would call on Victoria to require that candidates for public office (municipal council or regional district board) have a criminal check done prior to being allowed to run

However - some on Castlegar Council were uncomfortable with this idea and the proposed AKBLG Resolution was referred to Committee for alternative wording

Proposed Resolution:

WHEREAS Section 72(2) of the Local Government Act requires that certain documentation must accompany a nomination for local government office


AND WHEREAS It is in the public interest to ensure a full and complete disclosure of relevant information regarding a candidate for local government office is made available for the consideration of the electorate


THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED The Provincial Government be requested to amend Section 72(2) of the Local Government Act to require that all nominees for local government office be required to provide, with their nomination documentation, a police-issued Criminal Record Check document within 30 days of the nomination period

Section 72(2) of the Local Goverment Act currently says:

A nomination must be accompanied by the following:

(a) a statement signed by the person nominated consenting to the nomination;
(b) a solemn declaration of the person nominated, either made in advance or taken by the chief election officer at the time the nomination documents are delivered,

(i) that he or she is qualified under section 66 [who may hold office] to be nominated for the office,
(ii) that, to the best of the person's knowledge, the information provided in the nomination documents is true, and
(iii) that the person fully intends to accept the office if elected;

(c) if the person nominated requests under subsection (1) (d) that endorsement by an elector organization be shown on the ballot,
(i) the solemn declaration under section 79, and
(ii) the written consent of the person nominated to the endorsement;

(d) the written disclosure required by section 2 (1) of the Financial Disclosure Act.

See the full article from the Castlegar Source here
See the video from the Feb 6th Castlegar Council Meeting here (video starts at 84:00 minutes) here

Question - Should Victoria require that all candidates (incumbents/challengers) for public local office pass a Criminal Record check prior to being allowed to run?

SBF