Police called, public barred from Regina city hall as councillors criticized over homelessness lawsuit
CBC
A contentious council meeting that saw the public barred from Regina city hall ended with two members of the city government facing criticism but no penalties for their lawsuit attempting to end homelessness in the city.
Protestors were escorted out of the building by Regina police, after some of them repeatedly interrupted council during a debate over the fates of Ward 6 Coun. Dan LeBlanc and Ward 3 Coun. Andrew Stevens.
Mayor Sandra Masters made the decision to ultimately ban the public — even those who did not interrupt the meeting — from re-entering city hall.
LISTEN| Heritage community rallies around the homeless and asks for help
Instead, they were directed to watch council online
"The chair of any meeting in chambers is responsible to maintain decorum so the gallery is not to make any noise and no comments," Masters said.
"So in terms of another option, that is the option in the procedure bylaw."
The interruption — which lasted about 45 minutes — did not stop council from deciding to accept a report from integrity commissioner Angela Kruk, who determined LeBlanc and Stevens' 2022 lawsuit against city manager Niki Anderson violated council's code of ethics bylaw.
The lawsuit called for Anderson's office to be compelled to include a line item describing the cost of ending homelessness in the 2023 city budget — a decision LeBlanc and Stevens believed had been unanimously supported by council in a motion in June 2022.
While that legal action would ultimately fail, the fallout has continued through the first half of this year, with allegations of sexism, harassment and political retribution being tossed back and forth.
Masters has said that Anderson felt harassed by the councillors as a result of the lawsuit, but Kruk's investigation found no evidence that the councillors treated the city manager without dignity, understanding or respect.
Instead, Kruk described the lawsuit as novel, unorthodox and unnecessary, and said it made city governance look dysfunctional.
The integrity commissioner stated that the councillors failed to serve their constituents in a conscientious and diligent manner, to act in the best interests of the municipality, and to build and inspire the public's trust and confidence in local government.
On Wednesday, Ward 9 Coun. Jason Mancinelli told council that that this issue has come in front of council more than enough times.
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