Lethbridge council candidate Bradley Whalen's criminal past reveals itself
Bradley Whalen says he is still running for city council even though his criminal record came to light over the weekend.
Before Whalen moved to Lethbridge, he was convicted of eight separate offences in the early to mid 2000's in Nova Scotia.
According to court documents CTV News received from the Courts of Nova Scotia, Whalen, previously known as Bradley Patrick Alan Sampson, was sentenced for luring a child, theft under $5000, mischief and property damage, two fraud offences, robbery and having his face masked with intent to commit an offence.
After serving 10 months behind bars, he headed west, eventually opened a restaurant and now hopes to win a seat on city council.
Whalen declined an interview with CTV News, but has posted a statement on his campaign website.
Whalen used the statement to explain the circumstances around each offence as well as going into depth about his past experiences including many the hardships he faced as a child and overcoming substance abuse.
When it comes to running for a seat in Alberta, there are no laws that prevent anyone from running because of past criminal offences.
"If they do have a criminal background, they have all the right to run," said Ryan Parker who is running for his eighth term on council.
"So, it's outside of the jurisdiction of any municipality who can or cannot run. It may be frustrating for the community but they have to understand what the guidelines are that are in place."
Galactic Cantina, Lethbridge, Sept. 21, 2021
Parker wouldn't say whether the rules should be changed, but believes in the transparency of candidates.
"It's important that people scrutinize and question each and every one of the candidates that put their name forward," he told CTV News.
"They should do their research and ask the tough questions."
Geoffrey Hale is a political science professor at the University of Lethbridge and feels strongly that there is one question that all voters must ask themselves when researching candidates and before heading to the polls.
"Based on the publicly available information, would you hire this person to carry out a position of responsibility at city hall if you were the city manager?"
Whalen's website says he is running because he wants to help people, including those who have struggled with addiction and homelessness like he has in the past.
The municipal election is set for October 18th.
For more information on the candidates running, you can visit the City of Lethbridge's website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
'I just want to be safe': Ukrainian man in Canada faces limbo amid consular freeze
A recent decision to restrict consular services for fighting-aged Ukrainian men has made a Ukrainian man in Canada feel less certain of his next steps — and worried he could be pulled back to the war.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Dozens of U.S. deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the U.S. over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found.