Regina city council has opted not to impose training on Regina Ward 7 city councillor Terina Shaw after she revealed she suffers from mental illness, particularly impulse control.
Her comments came during Wednesday’s Regina city council meeting in response to complaints filed against her.
On Sept. 14, 2022, Regina city council heard a report from the city’s integrity commissioner regarding comments made by Shaw to fellow councillor Sharon Zachidniak.
“Can you please leave your lecturing to a personal conversation instead of wasting my time,” said Shaw in a typed messaged to Zachidniak during an online meeting earlier this year.
Complaints filed against Shaw resulted in “impulsive behaviour,” she said.
“Upon reflection, I can realize that my comments were unprofessional, particularly owing to my responsibility as a member of city council,” said Shaw. “I’ve reached out to Coun. Zachidniak to convey this apology in regret soon after the meeting.”
Ward 3 Andrew Stevens explained that Shaw and he had found common ground since the comments. He had previously offered to withdraw his complaint but the process was already too far along.
At first, the integrity commissioner, Angela Kruk, recommended that council should sanction Shaw and require her to receive further training, but after Shaw revealed her mental illness, Kruk dismissed the recommendation.
Mayor Sandra Masters asked Shaw for her thoughts on the recommendation from the integrity commissioner in which she said she is open to any training and education.
“I’m not opposed to anything. I just want everyone to know with that education and training, it’s not going to do what we think it’s going to do until I have my impulsiveness and behaviour under control,” said Shaw.
“That can’t be taught through communication, that has to be taught through a therapist.”
The separate integrity commission investigation into comments that Shaw made towards the Indigenous community has also been dismissed.
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