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.