Regina councilor ousted from board position over lawsuit to address homelessness in city budget

Regina city council has removed Coun. Dan LeBlanc from his position on a community organization over concerns he could no longer represent the will of council. 

On Wednesday council voted 8-2 to appoint a different — and yet to be selected — councillor to the board of Community and Social Impact Regina.

Supporters of the Ward 6 councillor described the decision as an act of political retribution against LeBlanc for representing Ward 3 Coun. Andrew Stevens in a lawsuit brought against city manager Niki Anderson.

Stevens and another community member were attempting to compel Anderson to include a line item to end homelessness in the 2023 city budget. The lawsuit would ultimately fail. 

"I've seen nothing convincing me we should pursue this and essentially purge and punish a councillor dedicated to the issues," said Stevens during Wednesday's debate. 

WATCH | Regina City Council votes to remove Dan LeBlanc from board for Community and Social Impact:

While Mayor Sandra Masters and other members of council did agree that the lawsuit weighed into their decision, Masters said her motion was because she no longer had trust in LeBlanc to represent council's voice and feared his presence could disrupt the organization's function. 

"This committee can not be destroyed, it has to be reinforced, and I think in order to do that we need a different representative," said Ward 2 Coun. Bob Hawkins.

Community and Social Impact Regina is meant to exist autonomously from the city with a mandate to co-ordinate "community and social impact strategies to support the well-being, health, safety, and social inclusion of residents in Regina."

However, one of the spots on its board of governors is reserved for a member of council. 

The vote on Wednesday means council will now consider appointing its third representative to an organization that has existed for less than six months. 

LeBlanc was appointed to that seat after Terina Nelson withdrew from consideration due to comments she made about Indigenous culture and homelessness. 

On Wednesday, Nelson joined six other councillors and the mayor to remove LeBlanc. 

"We all care, we all want the best for people. Anyone of us is a prime candidate for sitting on this committee," Nelson said. 

"Anyone that wants to sit in our shoes is more than welcome to enter their name in the ballot box at the next election." 

'Incrementalism' versus 'bold action'

Wednesday's was the latest incident to highlight a growing rift on Regina city council.

On one side are Stevens and LeBlanc, both of whom believe that dealing with homelessness and social issues require "bold action."

On the other side are councillors like Hawkins and Masters, who believe that incremental change is the way to responsibly address homelessness. 

Hawkins said he wants someone on Community and Social Impact Regina who could assist in the efforts toward incremental change and that LeBlanc's presence could cause others to be afraid of pushing back against his ideas. 

The two sides have sparred during last year's municipal budget but even LeBlanc admits the rift was never more apparent than during this tense meeting of city council, which at one point was moved into a private meeting. 

"It seems like there was a real value on a sort of Victorian politeness rather than on substantive justice of getting folks, mostly Indigenous folks, out of the cold, out of the wet, into homes, into treatment. I think that's garbage. It's predictable, but it's predictable garbage," he said. 

'Bullying and intimidating'

Masters revealed during Wednesday's meeting that councillors had received mean comments and been pestered by residents calling for action on homelessness. 

She described LeBlanc's actions in filing a lawsuit and posting exchanges he had with Anderson on social media as "harassment" and violating council's code of ethics. 

"I'm not sure that I can find a better example than using the blunt force of the court system when there were other avenues available ... if that's not bullying and intimidating. I'm not sure what is," she said. 

Masters said she would not be looking to take further action against LeBlanc and that this is how they'd deal with it for this year. 

However, any complaints filed with the integrity commissioner would be confidential, she said. 

LISTEN | Mayor Masters responds to complaints she's choosing to 'retaliate' against councillor:

LeBlanc said Wednesday's meeting was the first time he'd heard the word harassment mentioned, and while he was not aware of any formal complaint made against him, he said he'd deny it if there was. 

The Ward 6 councillor had no regrets about how he's attempted to create change in the city, even if he's been unsuccessful. 

"You need a majority of votes to get substantive action," he said.

"At the city level, we will need suburban representatives to vote in favour of issues which are principally disproportionately in the core and that can be a really tough sell."