One city councillor ready to change vote on executive committee motion

Landon Mohl has had a change of heart.

Mohl was one of seven Regina city councillors who voted in favour of a motion raised at an executive committee meeting Wednesday to amend city policy to ban fossil fuel producers and sellers from advertising with the city or seeking sponsorship agreements.

In the city’s sponsorship policy, companies in sectors like tobacco, cannabis, pornography and weapons are also barred.

On Thursday, Mohl took to Facebook to announce he would be voting against the motion in the future.

“When I prepare for Wednesday’s council meetings, I read every word in the agenda to adequately prepare so I can make an informed decision,” the rookie councillor wrote. “Yesterday, when this fossil fuels amendment was suddenly added, I had very little time to decide or make an educated decision and I absolutely made the WRONG decision!

“I have heard loud and clear from the residents of Ward 10 and I will be voting AGAINST the motion at Public City Council next Wednesday!”

Ward 9 Coun. Jason Mancinelli also put out a Facebook post to clear the air.

In his statement, he said he “doesn’t really agree with the vote” and he wants his constituents to know it isn’t a final decision. City council is to discuss the motion further Wednesday.

“I believed it was passing with or without my yes, so I voted yes in hopes of furthering discussion about the changed narrative when it comes back to council,” he wrote. “I owe an explanation and an apology for the confusion.”

Mayor Sandra Masters and three councillors — John Findura, Lori Bresciani and Terina Shaw — were opposed were to the motion.

The vote has generated reaction from Premier Scott Moe and from others around the province.

Shaw spoke with Gormley on Thursday to voice her frustration regarding the executive committee’s decision, and more specifically regarding those who voted in favour of the motion.

“This is a really hard one to swallow for me,” Shaw said. “This is a strong message that my ward and myself do not under no circumstances back up.

“This is an absolute slap in the face.”

Shaw called the motion hypocritical and infuriating.

“Leadership is leading by example,” she said. “If you want to go green and if you are all about that, then you jump on your bike and you bike to work. Go ahead and you turn off the heat in your house too. Until you’re ready to do that, you are not a leader and you’re not leading by example.

“I don’t want to throw our councillors under the bus, but I am questioning this.”

Meanwhile, Masters hopes the uproar over the controversial motion is a lesson in the importance of procedure in meetings at City Hall.

The motion was raised by Coun. Daniel LeBlanc without a notice of motion or an administrative report that would detail the implications of a council directive. Masters called it a “walk-on motion” and has been open in her dislike for them.

“Walk-on motions in the absence or vacuum of information create situations like we find ourselves in today where we’ve essentially insulted the largest economic driver in our province,” Masters told Gormley on Thursday.

“We have damaged relationships with our community (and) corporate citizens who donate and sponsor everything from community events to the food bank sporting programs.”

Masters continued: “We appear to be vilifying the industries that, frankly, butter our bread.”

She does not believe the seven councillors who voted in favour of the motion realized the outrage that would follow.

“I would say that in the spirit of wanting to promote sustainability, they didn’t perhaps see the repercussions of the message that it was sending,” Masters said.

“I do not believe that it was intentional and I think there’s a lesson here and they absolutely can change their vote for next Wednesday.”

— With files from 980 CJME’s Joseph Ho