Winnipeg councillor 'angry' after criticism for driving with kids during council meeting
The way a councillor participated in a meeting is driving debate at Winnipeg City Hall.
During Thursday’s council meeting, Councillor Matt Allard (St. Boniface) was participating virtually. At one point, he is behind the wheel driving. His two children are with him.
This was pointed out to Speaker Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan) who told him to disconnect.
“Councillor Allard, if I could just ask you to maybe disconnect while you can get back to your desk,” said Sharma.
Allard protested the directive.
“I picked up my child from daycare, I don’t see why I should be precluded from participation,” he said. Sharma insisted, saying proper decorum required Allard to be sitting in an office or somewhere else remotely.
“We can talk offline, I’m concerned about your safety and I was alerted to this. We will talk later.”
Some of Allard’s councillor colleagues say he should not have been behind the wheel and listening in on the meeting at the same time. Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) weighed in on the floor of Council.
“When I see someone driving during a meeting, I just think that that’s distracted driving,” she said. On Friday, Councillor Shawn Nason (Transcona) spoke to CTV News.
“It is diverting your attention away from the task at hand and safe operation of a motor vehicle,” said Nason.
Allard says he followed council protocol and the rules of the road.
He says he was sitting, using a hands-free device at the time, and that his daughter was working the mute/unmute button in case he had to speak.
“I’m really angry at some of the comments my colleagues have made,” Allard said.
Allard is unhappy with his fellow councillors who called him out. When asked if he wants an apology, he says he will speak to them privately.
“Slander and libel happens in politics and that’s par for the course,” said Allard. “But what they did is they, they challenged my integrity and my competency as a father. My number one job is keeping those kids safe.”
Allard feels he successfully argued his point at council as he says he was able to continue with the meeting.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
WATCH LIVE As GC Strategies partner is admonished by MPs, RCMP confirms search warrant executed
The RCMP confirmed Wednesday it had executed a search warrant at an address registered to GC Strategies. This development comes as MPs are enacting an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power, summoning one of its contractors to appear before the House of Commons to be admonished publicly for failing to answer questions related to the ArriveCan app.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Former Sask. massage therapist who sexually assaulted clients has day parole revoked
A former massage therapist who pleaded guilty to a string of sexual assaults has had his day parole revoked.