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
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.