Calgary city councillors and the city’s mayor are facing questions about the implications of a fellow colleague facing criminal charges.
Over the weekend, Edmonton Police confirmed Ward 9 Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra was charged with mischief under $5,000 in connection to an alleged road rage incident on April 2.
Mayor Jyoti Gondek said she understands “everyone’s desire to know more about the situation,” but said she couldn’t comment on the situation as the matter is before the courts.
However, Gondek said she doesn’t believe Carra could be removed from his role on city council because of the nature of the charge.
“From what I understand, within the (Municipal Government Act), there are charges that would disqualify someone from sitting on council,” Gondek said. “As far as I can see, this is not one of those types of charges.”
According to Alberta’s Municipal Government Act, a councillor can be disqualified from their role if they are convicted of an offence punishable by imprisonment for five or more years or an offence under sections 123, 124, or 125 of the Criminal Code of Canada.
Those other offences listed in the Criminal Code include municipal corruption, selling or purchasing office, and influencing or negotiating appointments or dealing in offices.
Alberta’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs confirmed to Global News it is aware of the charge facing Carra, but wouldn’t comment further.
“It’s of my understand that this was a matter of a personal nature and not one related to council,” Ward 11 Coun. Kourtney Penner said.
When asked about how Carra’s role on council would be impacted by the charge, Penner said it’s her understanding that there aren’t any implications for him to fulfil his role as a sitting city councillor.
Carra has been sanctioned by city council in the past related to other incidents that were investigated by the city’s integrity commissioner, including a social media post and failing to disclose his ownership of an Inglewood property. He’s been removed from his committee duties.
Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot said council should hold off on taking any further steps to sanction Carra on the mischief charge until the matter makes its way through the courts.
“It’s one thing to be charged with something, a conviction is a whole other story,” Chabot told reporters. “Without having any actual evidence to support sanctioning a member of council for any reason, I see no reason why council should take any action at this point.”
In a lengthy statement released days after the incident, Carra described it as a result of a vehicle running a stop sign in Bridgeland that nearly hit his dog.
Carra said he was able to “tap” the bumper of the vehicle with his foot, which he claimed prompted the driver to reverse and the two people inside verbally accosted him.
The investigation into the incident was conducted by the Edmonton Police Service after the Calgary Police Service forwarded the matter “in the interest of transparency and best practices.”
Carra voluntarily stepped back from his role on the Calgary Police Commission after revelations of the incident, but later resigned from his role altogether as the investigation continued.
In a brief statement released over the weekend, Carra said he plans to fight the charge.
“I am shocked by these charges and intend to fight them,” Carra said in a statement. “I will make a statement once we receive all the information that we are due.”
Lori Williams, a political scientist at Mount Royal University, said the situation raises more questions regarding several sitting councillors who have faced sanctions during this term.
“There are questions being raised about the ability of councillors to represent people that have been offended by some of the actions they’ve been engaged in,” Williams said.
“This is not a great situation for a democratic institution to be facing.”
Edmonton Police Service wouldn’t comment further on the situation or if any others were charged in relation to the incident.