City councillor won’t be sanctioned for disrespectful comments, behaviour

Coun. Terina Shaw won’t face any sanctions for disrespectful comments made towards a fellow Regina city councillor.

During a council meeting Wednesday, the majority voted for the third of three options — “Impose no sanctions, censure or corrective actions” — that could have been levied against Shaw under The Code of Ethics Bylaw.

Mayor Sandra Masters and Coun. Cheryl Stadnichuk voted against the motion. Shaw, Coun. Andrew Stevens and Coun. Shanon Zachidniak didn’t vote.

In a recent report, integrity commissioner Angela Kruk recommended council should sanction Shaw and require her to get training “on how to communicate effectively in a respectful and courteous manner.”

Stevens initially filed a complaint against Shaw under The Code of Ethics Bylaw in March.

According to Kruk’s report, on Jan. 19, council and the city’s administration took part in a virtual meeting on Microsoft Teams.

At one point, after Zachidniak made comments about the topic, Shaw posted to a chat board that’s visible to everyone: “Shannon (sic) can you please leave your lecturing to a personal conversation instead of wasting my time”.

Zachidniak responded with a message saying, “Terina, can you please be respectful to your colleagues”. Shaw immediately posted “respect our time and others who would like to ask questions”.

Kruk determined Shaw wasn’t trying to offend anyone — “I think she may just be used to communicating in a more abrupt manner,” Kruk wrote — but said councillors need to be held to a high ethical standard in their dealings with each other and the public.

Council had three options, according to city documents:

• Approve the commissioner’s recommendation to sanction Shaw and require her to receive some training or education on how to communicate effectively in a respectful and courteous manner;
• Impose another censure, sanctions or corrective actions allowed by law, such as a reprimand, requiring Shaw to apologize to those impacted, requiring educational training, removing her from council committees or other bodies, or dismissing her from a position of chairperson of a council committee; or
• Impose no sanctions, censure or corrective actions.

When Shaw spoke Wednesday, she explained part of the reason her comments come off harshly is because she suffers from a brain injury and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).

“I tell people this so they can understand me and my behaviour (and) my impulsiveness,” said Shaw. “I frustrate easily. I say things without stopping and thinking.”

Shaw said working in politics is very different than her previous professions.

“I worked in the private sector and was never judged on my first response,” said Shaw. “I was respective and apologetic, and straightforward with anyone.”

The incident that prompted the investigation isn’t connected to comments Shaw made about some members of the Indigenous community in June. She spoke Wednesday about the incident with Zachidniak.

“I have always been someone who communicates in a very frank manner, and realize that my approach can sometimes be misinterpreted as being disrespectful or dismissive,” said Shaw. “This is not true to my intent or true to the spirit of me or the person I am.”

Shaw said she had apologized to Zachidniak for the comments she made. Shaw got quite emotional while she explained her circumstances.

“Many of you who know me know that my heart … that I have been blessed with an incredible heart,” she said. “I don’t want this to be taken away from my integrity, my honesty, and my kindness.”

Shaw said she’s working with a doctor to manage some of her impulsive behaviours.

Stevens said that at the beginning of the investigation, he didn’t think a conversation with Shaw was possible. But as it proceeded, he did have a one-on-one chat with her.

“It was a very important moment,” said Stevens. “I think that it was a very successful dialogue and I think we have come to terms interpersonally.”

Stevens said at one point well into the investigation, he was willing to withdraw a complaint.

Masters explained her vote in favour of imposing some sort of sanction against Shaw, saying additional training would help Shaw.

“I believe that there is a certain sense of responsibility and privilege to be on the floor of council speaking as an elected official,” said Masters. “We should all be continuously learning.”