More controversy over Edmonton infill meeting and councillor vacations

Edmonton mayoral candidate and current city councillor Tim Cartmell is now also blasting council for extending a public hearing about limiting infill into their vacations.

After Councillor Sarah Hamilton got heated with another councillor over the issue on Friday.

“F*** you Jo-Anne Wright! F*** you!” said Hamilton on Friday.

Both councilors involved in that exchange have since withdrawn their comments.

Cartmell is now also calling the move to extend the meeting “extremely disappointing”, saying that council was aware of his travel plans and should have discussed the infill question earlier.

“It is beyond disrespectful to infringe upon those plans through poor planning and disgraceful performance by City Council,” he said in a statement.

Adding, he will not attend the rest of the meeting, but will work to address infill if elected in the fall.

Lori Williams, a political scientist at Mount Royal University, says councillors could have legitimate concerns, such as flights already being booked, but joining virtually would be a good compromise, especially as there may be little sympathy for politicians losing vacation.

“To the public, to those who don’t fully know what’s going on, it looks like well-paid elected officials are complaining about working when many people don’t even have the option of having a vacation. So it’s a tricky thing to defend,” said Williams.

City councillor and mayoral candidate Andrew Knack plans to attend this week’s meeting, but he knows councillors have different circumstances.

“I think, to ask them to give up their vacation, especially if they planned it long in advance, that’s not always the most fair thing to do, either for them,” said Knack.

The public hearing will continue on Tuesday, cutting into the month-long council summer break.