Councillor Stephen Kinach is being asked to apologize for comments he made at a council meeting on March 18, 2024. The request is being made by the City’s Integrity Commissioner, Antoinette Blunt .
Councillor Kinach wrote that an issue arose from comments made by him at the Meeting of Council on March 18, 2024, about a report to Council from Tom Vair, CAO regarding the Use of Consultants for City Operations. After the Council meeting Councillor Kinach met with Mr. Vair and Mayor Shoemaker and was asked to apologize for his remarks at the next Council Meeting on April 8, 2024. Councillor Kinach then filed the written Request for Advice with the Integrity Commissioner. In this request Councillor Kinach noted his remarks were found upsetting to staff. Councillor Kinach also provided the Integrity Commissioner with several emails exchanged between himself, the Mayor and CAO regarding this matter.
In a report for council, the Integrity Commissioner said she listened to the YouTube recording of the Council meeting of March 18, 2024, and then contacted Councillor Kinach by phone, reviewed the relevant provisions of the Code of Conduct, and discussed the matter with him.
Blunt determined that in making remarks at the Council Meeting of March 18, 2024, regarding the CAO’s
report of the Use of Consultants for City Operations, Councillor Kinach made several remarks about staff that were found to be inappropriate and contrary to the Code of Conduct.
The Integrity Commissioner finds that Councillor Kinach violated the Code of Conduct, specifically the section regarding Conduct which includes that as a representative of the city, Councillor Kinach has the duty and responsibility to treat staff appropriately and not use insulting words or expressions.
