Edmonton council dustup could lead to a code of conduct investigation

Several members of Edmonton city council have expressed concern with Councillor Mike Nickel’s social media posts over the last several days. It’s prompted some city councillors to explore the option of launching a code of conduct investigation.

Nickel launched a petition Monday morning saying he wanted to to reign in costs, suggesting spending is too high, residents are paying too much in taxes and not enough is being done to help the homeless.

“We have to get back to basics,” Nickel told Global News. “We have to bring this council back to reality, where we are.

“For the last six years I’ve been struggling to convince the mayor and his friends on council that their agenda just doesn’t work.”

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Nickel took to social media over the weekend to voice a complaint about a council decision to convert some lanes of traffic to areas to give people more room to walk. The move was made to follow the physical distancing directions given amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

1:51 Edmonton adjusts roads, pedestrian call buttons to promote physical distancing

The temperature of Edmonton’s weather, coincided with the temperature raising on city council. Councillor Andrew Knack wrote a blog post questioning Nickel.

“Most of it is false and it’s not responsible to share something that I know is inaccurate,” it read in part. Knack did not repeat the specifics.

In a Twitter stream on Monday, Councillor Michael Walters thanked his colleagues who he said, like him, have had to put their “type A personalities in the drawer to focus instead on supporting our administration in this state of local emergency.”

1:51 ‘Enough is enough’: Edmonton councillor shares dismay over social distancing road adjustments

In a statement released Monday from the mayor’s office, a spokesperson wrote Iveson is “focused on getting Edmonton through this public health and economic crisis, and overseeing an unprecedented, enduring state of local emergency. All councillor feedback is welcome, but it should be done in a respectful manner at all times. That is the expectation.”

Nickel is not worried about the prospect of a code of conduct investigation.

“Bring it on,” he said.