Yellowknife city councillor apologizes for ethics violation

A Yellowknife city councillor has apologized for violating the council code of ethics when she tried to get the city, and then two contractors, to reimburse someone for a personal laptop she had misplaced.

On Monday, Cat McGurk said she took responsibility for actions that triggered an integrity commissioner investigation last year.

"When I understood that I might be crossing a line, I immediately took pause and contacted the integrity commissioner. It was, however, too late. I had already acted inappropriately and the complaint had been filed," she said Monday, reading from a prepared statement.

"It was never my intent to abuse my role as councillor, but I neglected to consider that my actions might not match my intentions."

Integrity commissioner Sheldon Toner's report, released Friday, will be discussed at a council committee meeting on Nov. 12. It recommends councillors consider censuring McGurk, referring to a "sequence of problematic decisions" and "irrational, self-serving and persistent" behaviour by McGurk to rationalize her actions.

Councillor 'felt entitled' to city resources

The report details how McGurk, who stayed in the city during last year's wildfire evacuation to help co-ordinate volunteers, borrowed and then misplaced the personal laptop of someone who worked for an electrical company involved in the city's wildfire response.

After unsuccessfully trying to find it a few months later, McGurk asked the city to reimburse the owner, even though she hadn't worked in an official capacity during the evacuation. When she was told the city could not do so, she went to two different contractors — neither of whom had ties to the laptop owner — and asked them to invoice the city for it.

Toner found McGurk mischaracterized the situation when she approached the contractors, giving them the false impression that the laptop's owner was the one who had lost it instead of her and that it was the City of Yellowknife that was looking for an invoice.

Excerpts of conversations in the report include a text message exchange where she told the laptop's owner that they would be compensated for the lost laptop through one of the contractors — even though that had not yet been approved.

"The overall impression presented by the evidence is that Member McGurk felt entitled to City of Yellowknife resources to cover a loss she had personally incurred," Toner wrote.

Toner added McGurk tried to justify having the city pay for it by referring to the work she had done during the chaotic evacuation.

"The loan and loss of the laptop may have happened during the critical time, but it is unbecoming for a member of council to expect a revival of lower standards to procure reimbursement long after the crisis has ended," he wrote.

The report notes both contractors "exercised proper judgment" by not submitting the invoice. The city did not end up paying for the laptop.

Ultimately, the laptop owner's partner took McGurk to civil court over the matter and filed the complaint with the integrity commissioner.

In a statement to CBC, McGurk said she paid the person $750 for the missing laptop.

Toner said McGurk violated three sections of the council code of ethics, including a section that stipulates no member of council should use their influence for any purpose other than their elected duties.

McGurk accepts responsibility

At Monday's council meeting, McGurk spoke of her actions being "clouded by grief and trauma."

"I overlooked things that I should have understood to be important," she said. "While last year's events may have informed my actions, they do not justify it."

She said she recognized she had acted on her own during the evacuation without a contract or compensation.

"I've come to understand that I was not acting on behalf of any party but myself," she said of her conduct.

"I'm willing to accept responsibility for this contravention and am deeply sorry to my constituents and fellow council members to whom I owe my position and the privilege of being in this role."

Toner's recommendation was that council censure McGurk — basically, publicly reprimand her — if she didn't take responsibility and accept the report's findings.

Though council voted to discuss this on Nov. 12, Coun. Tom McLennan said McGurk's statement shows she had taken responsibility.

"I would be comfortable just moving on," he said.