The integrity commissioner submitted three reports and the council voted to sanction two councillors: Ward 9 Ward. Gian-Carlo Carra and Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean. Carra was involved in two of the reports, one of which involved failing to disclose his financial interest in an Inglewood property. Ellen-Anne O’Donnell, the integrity commissioner, wrote in a report that Carra made a $300,000 down payment on the Inglewood property in 2015. But Carra failed to disclose his interest in the property until 2021, the commissioner wrote, which was made problematic by the councilman’s “numerous opportunities” to disclose it over the years. “I could accept the initial failure to disclose the interest in 2015 as a genuine error of judgment as the Carras made a payment to a limited company that owned the land, and I accept that Carra counsel believed at the time that this did not amount to an interest in real estate,” O’Donnell wrote. “However, I cannot find on the probabilities that the continued failure to disclose was trivial or inadvertent after March 7, 2016, as Councilor Carra knew and stated that he had a financial interest in the property at that date.” Carra had disclosed at a public meeting on that date that he had an interest in the Inglewood property, the commissioner wrote, when the alderman abstained from voting on a motion to lift a community restriction. “Subsequently there were several events that would have highlighted the need to disclose Councilman Carras’ interest in the Inglewood property in accordance with the disclosure policy and code of conduct,” O’Donnell wrote. “Although Councilor Carra described the failure to disclose his interest as a ‘graphic oversight’, I cannot accept that it was, given the numerous opportunities he had to disclose it.” Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says discussions around sanctions are difficult, adding that she expects all sanctions to be met. (Mike Symington/CBC) The integrity commissioner noted that Carra co-operated fully with the investigation and answered all questions asked and admitted his failure to comply with the disclosure policy and code. He also voted with the rest of the council, agreeing to the sanctions against him. The integrity commissioner filed a second report on Carra that focused on tweets disparaging his council colleagues for “active politicking” with Coun. Sean Chu, considering news about the councilor’s disciplinary action against a 16-year-old girl in 1997 while he was a police officer. The City ordered Carra to issue a public letter of apology, attend records management and social media training and not be allowed to chair any council committees until October.
Penalty for mask
The report involving McLean involved the councilor who organized an event at a restaurant last December. She was reported for not wearing a mask, violating provincial and municipal health orders. The Council voted to reprimand him and required him to take an ethics class. “I’m going to stand by the sanctions. I just find it a little bit inconsequential with the other big things we’re dealing with in the world to go after a councilman for a picture without a mask,” McLean said. Carra would not comment on the two issues involving him, but Mayor Jyoti Gondek acknowledged these were tough discussions for the city council. “There were people who were sanctioned for actions they took that may be emotional. This board is made up of human beings, not machines,” Godek said. Gondek said she expects all sanctions to be upheld.
