Dan McLean points letter of apology {for golfing} throughout public listening to

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In compliance with sanctions levelled in opposition to him for being on a golf course throughout a public listening to final summer time, Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean submitted his public letter of apology on Wednesday night.

However a minimum of one in all his council colleagues didn’t appear to purchase the gesture’s sincerity.

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Council accredited sanctions in opposition to McLean on the finish of their assembly Tuesday after an investigation from town’s integrity commissioner Ellen-Anne O’Donnell confirmed he was on the Shane Properties Golf Match throughout metropolis council’s July 26 assembly – a continuation of a public listening to the day earlier than.

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Whereas he attended the general public listening to remotely, McLean missed the preliminary roll name and was 20 seconds late when making an attempt to vote on a movement later within the assembly. Mayor Jyoti Gondek requested the appearing metropolis clerk mark him absent on each events.

A screenshot of McLean’s Microsoft Groups feed that confirmed two individuals driving a golf cart was later submitted to the integrity commissioner.

In his letter, the Ward 13 councillor apologized for becoming a member of the summer time assembly remotely, stating it was unlucky that he had dedicated to attending an trade golf event that overlapped with a public listening to.

“Whereas I perceive the significance of my attendance on the council assembly, I additionally felt that the trade golf event was an essential alternative to debate our housing affordability disaster with members of our house constructing trade,” he wrote.

“In an effort to satisfy each commitments, I made the choice to attend a part of town council assembly remotely, together with different councillors, and I guarantee you that I took each doable measure to remain engaged and knowledgeable through the assembly.”

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McLean cited technical difficulties and poor cell reception for lacking roll name and his late vote.

Colleagues react to McLean’s apology

Not all of his colleagues appeared happy with the apology. Responding to his letter on X, the social media platform previously often called Twitter, Ward 3 Coun. Jasmine Mian mentioned the difficulty “isn’t about distant work” and urged McLean ought to identify the opposite council members he alleges had been additionally on the event.

“Prioritizing a Shane Properties golf event over being in council is improper,” Mian wrote. “Some individuals are exhibiting as much as work, different individuals are campaigning.”

McLean’s letter added he very hardly ever attends council conferences nearly. He mentioned going ahead, he intends to be at future conferences in particular person as typically as doable and thinks his colleagues ought to do the identical.

That sentiment was echoed Tuesday by Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot. He mentioned the incident suggests it is likely to be time for councillors to return absolutely to in-person conferences — a situation that has been non-compulsory because the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I feel in gentle of the very fact we’re not in a pandemic, we should always return to the unique guidelines — that you need to be in your seat to vote,” Chabot mentioned.

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Having had a child this previous summer time, Mian ceaselessly attends council conferences remotely and argued the flexibility to participate nearly has enabled her to proceed doing her job.

She mentioned there are legitimate causes for not attending a gathering, resembling being council’s consultant on different authorities our bodies like ABMunis or the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, or her personal private state of affairs.

“However I don’t assume the difficulty right here is distant work,” she mentioned. “The problem is what you’re doing while you’re imagined to be at your desk.

“Enjoying golf along with your buddies from Shane Properties is likely to be nice in your marketing campaign however it isn’t council enterprise.”

McLean’s actions ‘violated council’s code of conduct’

The integrity commissioner’s report said McLean’s actions not solely violated council’s code of conduct, however had the potential to undermine public confidence in native governance.

Mian agreed, declaring the assembly in query was a public listening to, which presents Calgarians the chance to current their opinion on a specific topic or enterprise merchandise to council.

“If you’re making your case and somebody who is meant to be making a call on that’s on the golf course, it sends a horrible message about how severe that particular person is taking their job,” she mentioned.

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In her report, integrity commissioner O’Donnell argued attending the Shane Properties golf event as an alternative of the council assembly had the potential to ship a message to Calgarians that McLean was “deriving a private profit” and {that a} unfavorable interference may very well be drawn in regards to the relationship.

In line with McLean’s marketing campaign disclosure assertion, three members of the Wenzel household, who personal and function Shane Properties, every donated $1,000 to his election marketing campaign in 2021.

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