Calgary councillors could take another step toward sending a recent integrity investigation to city police and the province.
A notice of motion will come to the Executive Committee on Wednesday, asking to refer the integrity commissioner’s findings on Ward 9 Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra to both bodies for further review.
Carra was found by the integrity commissioner to have breached the Code of Conduct for Elected Officials, the motion reads, in relation to the failure to disclose his interest in a property located at 66 New Street SE.
Further, the property was not secured by a signed and documented financial agreement.
Ward 2 Coun. Jennifer Wyness originally brought this forward as urgent business at the last council meeting. It was determined that it would be best brought back to the Executive Committee to give some time for fellow councillors to digest the Integrity Commissioner’s findings.
At that time, Coun. Wyness said that council had set precedent with regard to matters that involved money. She was referring to council’s past decisions around former Ward 2 Coun. Joe Magliocca.
“When it comes to money, we really need to be referring it up the food chain,” Wyness said at the time.
The item will only be reviewed on technical merit Wednesday. It will not be debated. If it’s approved on technical merit, it will go to the July 26 Combined Meeting of Council.
Broader scope than integrity commissioner
Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp is a co-signatory on the upcoming notice of motion. Sharp said that the city’s integrity commissioner’s role is only to look at the code of conduct.
“It’s not council’s job to pass judgment,” she said.
“It’s Council’s job to consider accountability and transparency when it comes to the perceived conflicts of interest in ethical matters, and then forward those off to the right governing bodies, which is clearly stated in this notice of motion.”
Sharp said that the Municipal Government Act comes into play, as could other elements beyond the code of conduct. She said she’s not saying something’s been done wrong.
“I’m just saying that we need to make sure that we’re looking at any sort of perceived conflicts of interest and bring those forward for transparency and accountability,” Sharp said.
It would be the same for any councillor that went through the same process with the integrity commissioner.
Coun. Carra was sanctioned by the integrity commissioner. He must attend ethics and records management training. Carra also stepped down from his role as chair of the city’s Infrastructure and Planning committee – at least until October’s organizational meeting.
This was one of two integrity commissioner investigations into Carra.
