When governments have to release information they really don’t want the public to know about, they’ll release it late Friday afternoon.  That’s the one time in the week virtually no one is paying attention to the “news cycle”.  In fact, a Friday before a long weekend is as close to a perfect time to bury some information as you can get.  Reporters are people too.  They’ve got long weekend plans and they’re trying to get done early like everyone else.  Reporters are just as anxious as the average person to get home and desperately finish packing so they can rush out and pay more more to gas up (long weekend price hike coincidence/tradition).  More likely in these days of covid they’re just rushing home to fill up a glass (also more expensive but worth it at virtually any price, right?).

That’s why it was so interesting to see this news release from Red Deer City Council on Friday afternoon at 4:09.  It was actually posted to the city website at 4:05, so now I now it takes about 4 minutes for an email to get to me (It’s those fun little details that make the world go round eh?).

Actually I didn’t see it at 4:09 because like most people I don’t sit still in the afternoon watching my inbox to react immediately to every email.   Maybe I should.  Instead I typically check my email periodically, and typically that happens far less regularly late Friday afternoon.. especially on the Friday of a long weekend.. especially this particular Friday.  Instead of seeing this at 4:09 I was rushing from a quick trip to Calgary to pick up our oldest boy (U of C student) and I was transitioning to hockey coach, going over some U13 drills on the Hockey Canada website to prepare for our late afternoon U13B West Country hockey practice.  (The kids were awesome by the way). Then it was a meeting with team parents.  Then it was home to late supper.  Then it was movie night with our two boys.  Then to bed without even checking email and phone messages.

Just as they hoped (in my own humble opinion) I and many others didn’t see this email right away.  Now that I have seen it, I’m in quite a conundrum.  It’s a long weekend and I have plans to continue painting trim on our house.  I also plan to continue safe social distancing practices by staying away from loved ones for the second Thanksgiving in a row.  While painting I’ll also wonder why our governments and doctors aren’t aggressively pushing for early treatment so we can relieve pressure on our hospitals and save some lives and stop living in fear.. but I digress.

Saturday morning I started the typical upkeep of Todayville.com and periodically checked email messages.  Then I came across this beauty sent Friday afternoon at 4:09.  In case you haven’t seen it yet, here it is….

News Release from the City of Red Deer

Second Code of Conduct investigation closes

(Red Deer, Alberta) – An investigation stemming from a code of conduct complaint received by City Council on May 7, 2021, has closed, and a majority of Council did not accept the investigation report at yesterday’s Council meeting. The investigation is considered complete and will remain confidential under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP).

“City Council’s Code of Conduct bylaw is a set of expectations for Council member’s conduct and behaviour. This is the second of two Code of Conduct complaints that were investigated in 2021,” said Deputy Mayor Lawrence Lee.

All municipalities in Alberta are required by the Municipal Government Act (MGA) to have a Code of Conduct Bylaw that sets shared expectations for conduct or behaviour. The bylaw outlines how members should conduct themselves while carrying out their responsibilities and establishes a review and investigation process when a complaint is received. The City of Red Deer passed its Code of Conduct Bylaw (2608-2018) on July 23, 2018.

After a review committee of three Council members initially reviewed the complaint, there was a majority vote to proceed to formal investigation. An investigator was hired to investigate and report back to City Council, and City Council had three meetings on this issue.

“Upholding City Council’s Code of Conduct, procedural fairness, relationships and role clarity are essential as we work to ensure good governance that is in the best interest of the organization and our community,” said Deputy Mayor Lawrence Lee.

Council passed a second resolution directing the confidential report be shared with the City Manager to prepare a confidential memorandum outlining “lessons learned” to be brought back to Council in the first quarter of 2022. The memorandum should make recommendations on the integration and relationships of the Mayor and Council’s office with administration. Through the City Manager, the staff and council will work together to move forward.

For more information about City Council’s Code of Conduct Bylaw, visit www.reddeer.ca

So what does all this mean?  Well we know there was an investigation into the conduct of at least one member of city council.  We know three councillors reviewed this complaint.  Then the majority of council decided we (taxpayers) should pay an investigator to look into this complaint.  (That doesn’t sound cheap).  We know council met three times to discuss this complaint. Then the report came back and the majority of Red Deer City Council did not accept the investigator’s report that we (taxpayers) paid for.  And.. we know the investigation is considered complete and that it will “remain confidential” until someone pays for and goes through the process of applying for a Freedom of Information Request.

WE also know this might be the last time this council will meet before the 2021 Municipal Election.  What a brutal meeting to have hanging over your head as you gun for re-election!  Makes me feel horrible for all those candidates I know (and in some cases REALLY like) who have to face the electorate in a few days.  Kind of makes me SUPER curious about the contents of this second investigation.  Seems like precisely the kind of information I’d like to have before I decide who to vote for in a few days.  But as is happening so much these days, our elected officials are saving us from the details and we should rest easy knowing that they have our best interests in mind (you know, before their own).

So we’ll have to imagine how Thursday’s “in-camera” conversation went (and thousands of voters will be doing just that).  I guess someone must have said something like “I know this seemed like a big deal back in the spring.  I know we talked about it in three separate meetings and that three of us reviewed it and we all decided we should hire an investigator to look into this.  Buuuuuuut.  That was such a long time ago.  Now it’s fall and with an election just days away, frankly we’ve got better things to worry about.”   To which the majority of council must have said something like “You know. You’re right!  I don’t know what we were thinking back there in the spring.  The truth is there’s nothing to see here.  Why don’t we prove it by telling the people who pay us absolutely nothing about why we spent our time and their money investigating a complaint that three of us reviewed in the spring and the majority of us voted to proceed to formal investigation.”   Then I guess someone called for a vote.  When only Buck Buchanan and Dianne Wyntjes disagreed, (as reported here in this really interesting opinion piece/video by 2017 Council candidate Calvin Goulet-Jones) those seeking reelection all took off to presumably check on their election signs.

Actually this being the “Second” Code of Conduct investigation, it reminds me there was a “First” Code of Conduct investigation back in April.  Although that investigation started 1 month before this one, it actually wrapped up more than two months ago.  Investigation #1 resulted in Councillor Buck Buchanan facing some embarrassing disciplinary measures.  Remember that?  That news release was also released late in the afternoon, but NOT late Friday afternoon.  The news release regarding investigation number 1 was released at 4:59 Monday, July 26.  Media types know this means it’s going to be all the rage come Tuesday morning and will have lots of time to build up for the rest of the week.  Here’s what that looked like (in case you’re keeping score of the Council Code of Conduct investigations at home)….

News Release from the City of Red Deer

Code of Conduct investigation closes with sanctions for Councillor Buchanan

So we have two Code of Conduct investigations against this council.  The first looks kind of like an expensive slap on the wrist to Buch Buchanan for daring to ask on Twitter whether AHS had shown up at a restaurant in Sylvan Lake that was protesting covid restrictions.  (The Horror).  The second complaint?  Well it looked like a bigger deal back in the spring.

Just before I let you go back to Turkey prep and avoiding your loved ones I’d like to offer some free advice to the members of City Council who voted to keep the details of investigation number two from the people who pay for everything they do and for their salaries (as insufficient as they may seem to those who have to cash the cheques).  I admit this has to be free because in all likelihood no one in their right mind would pay for it.  However I’m avoiding the paint brush for just a few more minutes.  Here goes:  I really think it might be a good idea to tell voters who was investigated and why.  That’s it.  The problem with keeping this quiet is that it will tarnish not just the unfortunate soul(s) who was investigated.  Now all of you who voted this way will be part of that same embarrassment and presumably you could pay the price for this.

Yes 31 percent of the 60 percent of Canadians who vote, continually vote for Justin Trudeau no matter what aboriginal female minister he turfs for daring to question his friends at Canada’s most notorious construction firm, or how many times he wears black face or how many times he declares a holiday to recognize one of the most serious problems in Canada and then forgets he might be the most important person to appear at events on that day and accidentally takes his family on a private jet to an 18 million dollar hideaway (and then forgot to hide very well).  No matter what, some elected officials will have a blind following.  But you are definitely taking at least a small risk here.  Some people are paying attention (hi Calvin).  And some people talk to other people.  And some of those people will be voting.   And some people will jump to the conclusion that you voted to keep this quiet because you care about something else, anything else, more than you care about the voters who you are undoubtedly shaking hands with at the farmers market right now while you tell them that nothing is more important to you than they are.  But something is more important.  You should tell us.

Sorry for rambling.  I’ve completely run out of things to say.  If you want to run a beer over to our place to reward me for doing a second rate painting job.. just keep your distance.   I’ve got a valid negative covid rapid test that has to last until I get another one and another one before my vaccine kicks in.