On April 23, 2024, Council appointed Don Lidstone, KC, of Lidstone & Company Barristers and Solicitors, as Rocky View County’s Complaints Adjudicator for a four-year term.
Mr. Lidstone is licensed in British Columbia, Alberta, and Yukon. He practices generally in the area of local government law. His municipal law focus is in the areas of governance, finance and taxation, land use and development, environmental law, Aboriginal law, and bylaw/legislative drafting.
Invited to speak regularly at conferences, symposia and universities, Mr. Lidstone has chaired the Sustainable Region Initiative (Governance and Finance), Liquid Waste Expert Review Panel, Fire Services Review Panel, Whistler Waste Blue Ribbon Panel, and the Municipal Law Section of the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association. He has published numerous papers and manuals and consulted on the development of the Community Charter and other municipal statutes in a number of provinces.
Mr. Lidstone was designated King’s Counsel in 2008
The Complaints Adjudicator:
- Receives, investigates, and decides on complaints about Council members
- Makes recommendations about policies, bylaws, and training on ethical conduct standards
The Complaints Adjudicator decides how to address complaints, including:
- Formally investigating the complaint
- Dismissing the complaint
If the Complaints Adjudicator determines that a Council Member was in contravention of the Council Code of Conduct Bylaw after investigating the complaint, the Complaints Adjudicator’s report will be made public and published on the Rocky View County’s website after Council considers the report and decides on sanctions, if any. Dismissal decisions are confidential and will not be disclosed public.