The City of Yellowknife plans to develop a leave policy for mayor and council before the next municipal election.
The need for a leave policy was raised after Ryan Fequet asked his fellow councillors for permission to take four months’ unpaid leave, then withdrew that request a week later.
He said the public response to his request had highlighted the need for clarity around the broader topic of mayor and council leave.
Fequet brought forward a motion asking city staff to develop a leave policy and present it to council ahead of Yellowknife’s next election, slated for 2026. The issue was briefly discussed at a city meeting on Monday.
“In the pursuit of a more inclusive and representative local government, we should acknowledge and address that many barriers exist that prevent qualified individuals from running for and serving for elected office. One of those barriers is the lack of a clear and supportive leave policy for elected officials,” Fequet said.
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“For many people, particularly those who may face financial or caregiving challenges or parental duties, the absence of clear leave options can be a deterrent to running for office. These challenges disproportionately impact individuals from historically underrepresented communities.”
Fequet said council leave policies have been established or are under development elsewhere in Canada.
The City of Saskatoon, for example, has a leave of absence policy for its council members.
Fequet’s proposal was supported by several other councillors and Mayor Rebecca Alty.
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She said she would like the leave policy to address parental leave, medical leave and leave to run for another office, which she noted was an issue in the past two territorial elections.
“I think it’s good to have some consistency there,” she said, “because we have had differing ways that council members have addressed that.”
City manager Stephen Van Dine said municipal staff plan to work on a leave policy and will present it to council before the next election.
