Report calls for Russ Wyatt to publicly apologize to former city CAO Michael Jack

Councilor Russ Wyatt, who represents Transcona, is refusing to publicly apologize to former City of Winnipeg Chief Administrative Officer Michael Jack after an integrity commission report found his comments about Jack and another officer were ‘offensive, disrespectful and offensive.’

“I’m going to stand up and speak my mind and I’m not apologizing,” Wyatt told CTV News on Friday. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

The integrity commissioner’s report, conducted by Edmonton-based investigator Jamie Pytel with Kingsgate Legal, found that Wyatt’s comments about Jack, who was listed as a complainant in the media, were “an attempt to use his authority for the purpose of intimidation”. Forcing or influencing Jack to fire an employee.

It was also revealed that Wyatt’s comments questioned Jack’s professional capacity and were a personal attack amounting to harassment.

Wyatt told CTV News on Friday that he spoke his mind and said he was elected to do so by the citizens of his community.

“We had an open issue discussed in the media where the city lost a lawsuit that cost Winnipeg taxpayers $5 million and the employee involved, who was still working with the city and not on administrative leave, lost the case. “We’re still there as if nothing had happened,” Wyatt said.” Zero accountability and at the time I was calling our CAO to hold him accountable for this.”

The investigator found that these actions violated the Winnipeg City Members’ Council Code of Conduct and recommended sanctions, including a public apology acknowledging the report’s findings and the City Council issuing a public reprimand to Wyatt if he fails to comply before the next council. meeting.

The report cites Wyatt’s comments published in an Aug. 3, 2023 media article titled “Winnipeg councilwoman calls for top civil servants to be terminated.”

The article cites a case in which a judge found two city employees liable for delaying efforts to develop the former Parker Lands, and a 2023 ruling ordered the city to pay $5 million in damages to the developer.

The city appealed the decision to the Court of King’s Bench. Jack resigned in June 2024 and was recently appointed Deputy Minister of Enterprise, Mining, Trade and Job Creation in the province.

Wyatt said Friday that he was considering legal options to file a lawsuit against Pytel, the investigator and author of the report, for publishing statements about him using language such as “pressure and harassment.”

“I won’t let this lie; “This needs to be resolved,” he said.

Pytel said in an email to CTV News on Friday that he has not received any response at this time.

CTV News has requested comment from Jack and is awaiting a response.

Integrity commissioner report recommendations on November 21 agenda^st city ​​council meeting.