Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan says accepting corporate tickets to Olympic hockey games is part of his job. Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan says accepting corporate tickets to Olympic hockey games is part of his job. (burnaby.bc.ca)

Municipal politicians in B.C. who are concerned about the legality of accepting tickets to Olympic events should err on the side of caution, the province's Minister of Community Development said Wednesday.

"Municipal councillors and regional districts ought to have policies around these sections in the community charter," minister Bill Bennett said Wednesday.

"Frankly, my advice to local government officials would be to err on the side of caution."

The B.C. Community Charter says councillors must not accept benefits in connection with the performance of their duties. But there are exceptions for gifts received as part of protocol or social obligations.

Just what was meant by 'social obligations' may be interpreted differently in Vancouver, Richmond or Whistler - which are hosting Olympic events - than in other communities which are not, Bennett said.

The minister said he did not think those sections of the act have ever been tested in court.

Split opinion

Some B.C. politicians have vowed not to accept the freebies while others have said they will take the tickets because it's part of their job and does not represent any impropriety.

B.C. Community Charter excerpt:

Restrictions on accepting gifts

(1) A council member must not, directly or indirectly, accept a fee, gift or personal benefit that is connected with the member's performance of the duties of office.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to (a) a gift or personal benefit that is received as an incident of the protocol or social obligations that normally accompany the responsibilities of office, (b) compensation authorized by law, or (c) a lawful contribution made to a member who is a candidate for election to a local government.

(3) A person who contravenes this section is disqualified from holding an office described in, and for the period established by, section 110 (2), unless the contravention was done inadvertently or because of an error in judgment made in good faith.

Mayor Sharon Gaetz of Chilliwack refused to accept free Olympic tickets on the grounds it could be illegal.

"It's very clear that municipal politicians are not to take gifts of any kind," said Gaetz.

Vancouver city councillors David Cadman and Ellen Woodsworth said they would not apply to get any of the $377,000 worth of tickets purchased by the city. "To … take money for attending events we don't have to be officially at, but which is simply a perk of position, I don't think is appropriate," Cadman said last week.

Vancouver Coun. Geoff Meggs took the opposite position, saying he would accept tickets because it was a duty of his job to represent the city at the Games.

Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan shared Meggs's view.

The city of Burnaby had not purchased any tickets but Corrigan told the Burnaby NOW newspaper that the B.C. Lottery Corp. and Telus had invited him to Olympic hockey games and he had accepted.

"I think it is part of my role. A lot of it is work - meeting people we do business with, making contacts," Corrigan said.

Corrigan said he was always careful to weigh such invitations carefully and to declare it publicly when he had accepted them.