Saint John reinstates city councillors Killen and Harris after a code of conduct investigation

Saint John, N.B., city councillors Joanna Killen and Brent Harris have been reinstated following a code of conduct complaint investigation, according to a news release from the City of Saint John.

The council voted to strip the two councilors of their committee duties and “appointments by council to different bodies” on Oct. 3, 2023, after the two councillors voiced their support for striking city workers.

Their duties would be reinstated following the results of an investigation under the code of conduct bylaw, the council said.

The city says that Killen and Harris breached the code of conduct. However, the city does not describe what aspects of the code Killen and Harris breached.

“Councilor Harris and councillor Killen have apologized for any error on their part and council accepts that apology,’ the release says.

Going forward, Saint John city council will speak with councillors before taking “interim measures,” the release says.

Killen and Harris said they felt some pressure inside city hall after showing their support for striking CUPE Local 486 members. They said the suspension was a form of “punishment.”

The union represents about 140 workers with the City of Saint John. On Oct. 3, they voted "overwhelmingly” against a new contract from the city. They said the wages remain below the inflation rate and the city’s own Wage Escalation Policy.

The councilors were given 10 days from Oct. 2 to respond to a third-party lawyer, they told CTV News in a previous interview.

However, on Oct. 4, the city voted to strip them of their duties.

“It came out of left-field,” said Killen. “To be delivered a punishment like that yesterday with no warning, or that that was possible for us… nobody communicated with us about this whatsoever.”

Harris said between he and Killen, 10,000 Saint Johners trust the councillors to represent them.

“And we were not even allowed through process or opportunity to represent them,” said Harris.

Immediately following the Oct. 3 meeting, Saint John Mayor Donna Reardon issued a statement that said the vote was “in relation to the behaviour of two of its members and the risk posed to the local government as a result of their behaviour.”

Stephen Drost, CUPE New Brunswick’s regional vice-president, said the council’s actions were an abuse of power.

“It’s an attack on democracy, and it’s certainly an attack on labour in Saint John.”

With files from CTV’s Nick Moore and Avery MacRae.

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