City councillors sit around the horseshoe in chambers at city hall.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
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Medicine Hat News
After an email to city council candidates discussing a private swearing-in ceremony for winners this week was leaked to local media, confusion has been clarified and, in the end, the public won’t have to miss out.
The issue came to light Thursday over an email from acting city manager and city clerk Tarolyn Aaserud outlining requirements in the Municipal Government Act.
“In accordance with Section 156 of the MGA, the Oath of Office must be administered after the official results of the election have been declared and prior to participating in council orientation,” the email reads. “To meet this requirement, the Oath of Office will be administered prior to the start of orientation on October 23rd, which will not be open to the public.
“The public swearing-in ceremony will take place on November 3rd at 6:30 pm. Additional details regarding the ceremony will be provided closer to the date.”
Initial reports to media had only included the Nov. 3 public ceremony, prompting questions from media over the existence of a quiet, private ceremony this morning.
Questions were also posed to mayor-elect Linnsie Clark, who issued a statement and explanation in the early evening Thursday.
“I am writing because I’ve received some questions regarding the timing of the Oath of Office for incoming members of Council and whether the Oath of Office will be administered in private or in public,” her statement reads.
“I was able to speak with Acting City Manager Aaserud today and she confirmed that incoming members of Council will be administered the Oath of Office on November 3, 2025, at our inaugural meeting in open. This is consistent with past practice and our Procedure Bylaw (Bylaw 4725).”
Clark says the confusion of how the procedure works stems from changes to the MGA made in 2024 requiring all councillors and mayor to take orientation training, “including certain training before or on the same day as the inaugural meeting (s. 201.1(1)(a)). The inaugural meeting is historically when incoming members of council are sworn in/take the Oath of Office.”
All members of council are required to be sworn in before conducting any official duties, and on Oct. 17 a bulletin from the province was released.
“Following the October 20, 2025, municipal election, Alberta municipalities must ensure that all elected officials, including the chief elected official (mayor or reeve) and councillors, take the official Oath of Office before performing any formal council activities. This requirement is outlined in Section 156 of the MGA. The Oath of Office must be administered after the official results of the election have been declared.”
However, due to several inquiries for explanation, Aaserud received a call from Assistant Deputy Minister Gary Sandberg indicating that members would not be required to be take the Oath of Office before orientation, despite the directions of the province’s bulletin.
That allowed the city to alter course, and as such, the swearing-in ceremony will occur publicly on Nov. 3 as had been previously reported.
