NIPAWIN — Those wanting to run for a spot on Nipawin council will now have to submit a criminal record check with their nomination forms.
Barry Elliott, the town’s administrator, said this change came after recommendations from the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association.
“They’re recommending it’s a prudent step for municipalities to take to implement a bylaw of this nature,” Elliott said. “The rationale our local council has, that I understand, is that they just feel it’s an opportunity to be more informative and more transparent to the electors before they make a choice.”
The applicant’s criminal record will not be made public, but it will be made public if the applicant has one.
Elliott said candidates will not be barred from running for council for having a criminal record.
“We don’t have that ability to deny anything. All it truly does is it informs the electors that the candidate has a criminal record and frankly there is really no information provided along with that indicating what the criminal record is all about.”
He said it informs the electors if their perspective candidate has a record.
This decision was passed on Aug. 12.
