The long awaited reported into the Northern municipality of Pinehouse recommends that councilors not be removed from office.
“This report has helped provide considerable clarity into the complex situation within the village and the many challenges it faces. Mr. Vancise recommends that members of council should not be removed from office. The Government of Saskatchewan accepts this recommendation,” said Government Relations Minister Lori Carr.
The independent investigation found that while the village council was not meeting their legislative responsibilities in the areas of access to information requests and some municipal operations, it was determined this was not as a result of a deliberate disregard for the law.
The report noted that the village has taken steps to resolve the issue.
The government initially ordered an inspection into Pinehouse in December 2018, after citations from the Provincial Privacy Commissioner for failing to properly respond to freedom of information requests. The inspection was expanded into a formal inquiry after an interim report was submitted to government in the spring of 2019.
“This report is not an exoneration, nor will the province accept a ‘business as usual’ approach from the village,” Carr said. “Clearly there is more work to do within the community. That is why I am immediately ordering officials within the ministry to arrange for temporary administration support-staff to provide hands-on assistance to the local council.”
These positions will remain in Pinehouse for up to six months and are part of a series of actions the community must carry out to help ensure the community is meetings its obligations under the related legislation.
(Photo: Pinehouse Mayor Mike Natomagan.)