Councillor asks Carra integrity investigation be referred to province and police
Ward 2 councillor Jennifer Wyness asked council to consider referring veteran colleague Gian-Carlo Carra's disclosure investigation findings to both the minister and police for further review.
On Tuesday council voted to accept the City's Integrity Commissioner finding that Carra had failed to properly disclose a financial holding in his ward over a six year period despite numerous requests and opportunities.
Carra paid $300,000 towards a property on New Street S.E. in 2015, later adding another $36,000 towards the property. He revealed the holding in council at the time but never added it to his public disclosures, effectively hiding it from public view.
The commissioner did not find that Carra had benefited financially from decisions made while on council or in various sub-committees.
"The precedent was set on past council," Wyness says. "When it comes to money, we really need to be referring it up the food chain."
The precedent Wyness referred to was that of former councillor Joe Magliocca, who was found to have improperly claimed thousands of dollars in expenses. The matter was later handed over to police.
SECOND INVESTIGATION
Magliocca, a vocal fiscal conservative on council, eventually repaid over $10,000 of those disputed expenses.
Wyness was also at the centre of a second investigation into councillor Carra's conduct. Last February Carra retweeted a message lumping her and three other council colleagues together with controversial councillor Sean Chu.
The tweet suggested the four councillors were "unfit to serve" after supporting Chu's motion on a piece of council business. Months earlier it was revealed Chu had been investigated years ago for a relationship with a 16-year-old girl while he was an on-duty police officer.
The tweet and resulting social media pile-on led Wyness to resign her position on a city committee.
"It was intimidation. It was that power imbalance of a rookie councillor versus a veteran," Wyness says.
Carra has been removed from his leadership roles on all council committees, ordered to issue apologies and attend ethics training.
In a statement Wednesday Carra wrote: "I accept the decisions of the Integrity Commissioner and am working on my apologies."
He has 30 days to complete them.
Councillor Wyness' motion to refer the file will be discussed by council later this month.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Sale of Ottawa church to 'Freedom Convoy'-affiliated group falls through, but leader says deal is still on
The current purchase of a historic Ottawa church slated to become an 'embassy' for a group affiliated with the Freedom Convoy has fallen through, according to documents obtained by CTV News. But The United People of Canada director said it was his understanding the deal was still in place.

Ontario doctor alleged to have killed 4 people around same date in 2021: documents
Court documents allege an eastern Ontario doctor killed four people around the same date in 2021.
Plane fails to descend as pilots reportedly fell asleep during flight
Two pilots are believed to have fallen asleep and missed their landing during a flight from Sudan to Ethiopia on Monday, according to a report by commercial aviation news site Aviation Herald.
Michelle O'Bonsawin named as Canada's first Indigenous Supreme Court justice
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau nominated Ontario judge Michelle O'Bonsawin to the Supreme Court of Canada on Friday. She is the first Indigenous person chosen to sit on Canada's top court and the appointment is being celebrated as filling an important role at the highest level of the country's justice system.
Retailers sitting on 'mountains' of excess inventory in need of liquidation: expert
Consumer behaviour, a looming recession and the reactions of retailers to pandemic-driven supply chain issues are combining to drive a liquidation renaissance, according to one business advisor and retail futurist who spoke with CTVNews.ca.
Calgary man convicted in multimillion dollar Ponzi scheme sentenced to 10 years
A Calgary man who bilked his clients out of millions of dollars in a Ponzi scheme has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for what the judge called a deliberate and large-scale fraud.
Northern lights expected across Canada this weekend: NOAA
Canadians across the country have a shot at seeing the northern lights this weekend thanks to a series of solar flares and storms over the past few days, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
There is now a simple solution to destroying 'forever chemicals': study
Scientists say they have developed a simple and cost-effective method for destroying a class of synthetic chemicals found in many consumer items and lasting in our water, soil and air for thousands of years when left alone.
Freedom Convoy-affiliated group refusing to leave Ottawa church after eviction notice
Members of a Freedom Convoy-affiliated group remain at an Ottawa church one day after the owner of the historic property moved to evict them over unpaid rent.