Winnipeg council kicks Wyatt off 7 committees and boards

Winnipeg council voted unanimously to boot Coun. Russ Wyatt, who has been charged with sexual assault, from seven city committees. CTV’s Jeff Keele reports.

Facing criminal charges, Winnipeg City Council booted Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt from seven committees and boards.

The vote was unanimous, 14-0.

“For it to actually get to this, it becomes a very serious incident,” said Coun. Cindy Gilroy.

In March, Wyatt was arrested and charged with drugging and sexually assaulting a man. Wyatt says he is innocent. He is also presumed innocent.

But Mayor Scott Gillingham and others urged him to step away from his council duties while he dealt with the charges.

Wyatt refused, so the mayor brought a motion to remove him from initially five, now seven, committees and boards.

Gillingham says they’ve been getting calls from voters to do something.

“In most businesses, companies, even in the City of Winnipeg with the public service, if a member, an employee, is facing similar criminal charges, they’re put on administrative leave.”

Wyatt told CTV News last week he was going to vote against the motion at the Thursday council meeting. But he changed his mind and decided not to participate in the vote, saying this is a matter before the courts and it is political.

“I believe in the rule of law,” said Wyatt. “I believe this is a partisan political attack, and this council chamber is better than that.”

The mayor and some councillors also felt they needed to take this action, as members of the public sit on some of those boards and committees.

“We have to make sure…that our public service and our staff and residents that are on our committees are feeling safe,” said Gilroy.

Wyatt rejected that rationale, comparing the committees and boards to public sidewalks.

“So maybe they should ban me from walking on sidewalks,” said Wyatt.

But Wyatt says council has done him a favour.

“It frees my time up to do a lot of stuff in my ward, knock on doors, talk to folks,” said Wyatt. “We got the Hi Neighbour Festival coming up in the first weekend of June, excited about that, I’m always in the parade and pancake breakfast.”

Council has no authority to remove Wyatt from council or his local community committee under these circumstances.

The allegations against Wyatt have not been tested in court.

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