Following investigations by Calgary’s integrity commissioner, city council voted to sanction two councilors Tuesday for violating their code of conduct.
The integrity commissioner filed three reports and council voted to sanction two councillors: District 9 Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra and Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean.
Cara was implicated in two of the reports, one of which involved failing to disclose his financial interest in an Inglewood property.
Ellen-Ann O’Donnell, the integrity commissioner, wrote in a report that Kara made a $300,000 down payment on the Inglewood property in 2015.
But Cara failed to disclose his interest in the property until 2021, the commissioner wrote, frustrated by the “numerous opportunities” the councilor had over the years to disclose it.
“I could take the initial non-disclosure of the interest in 2015 as a genuine error of judgment as the Karas made a payment to a limited company that owned the land and I accept that Councilor Kara believed at the time that this was not equivalent to an interest in real estate,” O’Donnell wrote.
“However, I cannot find on the balance of probabilities that the continued non-disclosure was trivial or inadvertent after 7 March 2016, as Councilor Cara knew and stated that he had a financial interest in the property at that date.”
Cara had disclosed at a public meeting on that date that he had an interest in the Inglewood property, the commissioner wrote, when the councilor abstained from voting on a notice of motion related to removing a community restriction.
“Subsequently, there were numerous events that would have marked the need to disclose Councilman Karas’ interest in the Inglewood property in accordance with the disclosure policy and code of conduct,” O’Donnell wrote.
“While Councilor Cara described his failure to disclose his interest as a ‘clerical omission’, I cannot accept that this was the case given the numerous opportunities he had to disclose it.”
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says discussions around sanctions are difficult, adding that he expects all sanctions to be followed. (Mike Symington/CBC)
The Integrity Commissioner noted that Cara co-operated fully with the investigation and answered all questions and admitted that he had failed to comply with the disclosure policy and code. He also voted with the rest of the council in agreeing to the sanctions against him.
The integrity commissioner filed a second report on Cara, which focused on tweets that disparaged his council colleagues for “active politicking” with Coun. Sean Chu, given news reports of the counselor’s disciplinary action for physical contact with a 16-year-old girl in 1997 while he was a police officer.
The council ordered Kara to issue a letter of public apology, undergo records management and social media training and not be allowed to chair council committees until this October.
Mask sanction
The report involving McLean was in relation to the councilor organizing an event at a restaurant in December last year.
A complaint was filed because he was not wearing a mask, violating provincial and municipal health regulations.
The council voted to reprimand him and ask him to attend an ethics course.
“I will respect the sanctions. I just find it a bit trivial with the other big things we’re dealing with in the world to go after a city councilor for a photo without a mask,” McLean said.
Kara would not comment on the two issues that concern him, but Mayor Jyoti Gondek acknowledged that these are difficult discussions for the council.
“There were people who were sanctioned for actions that they took that can be emotional. This board is made up of people, not machines,” Gondek said.
Gondek said he expects all sanctions to be upheld.
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