Whitehorse city councillor Paolo Gallina was found to have been in a perceived conflict of interest when he voted on amending the zoning bylaw to allow for alternative delivery methods.
At the start of Jan. 6’s standing committee meeting, Gallina made a statement on the matter.
The vote in question took place during a special meeting of council on Dec. 12, 2024. Council was voting on whether to allow the use of different forms of notifying the public of proposed zoning amendments during the postal strike.
Whitehorse postal workers, who were on strike, were accusing the city of using city staff to hand-deliver public hearing notifications by mail — effectively using scab labour.
Mac Clohan, the head of the local union, had told the News at the time that the delivery of public notices would absolutely be work postal workers would normally be doing, were they not on strike.
Gallina, and all other council members present that day, voted in favour of using alternative methods of notification for the duration of the strike.
Gallina said since the vote on Dec. 12, it was determined that his participation in the vote was in a perceived conflict of interest under Council Procedures Bylaw, due to his personal connection to the subject matter.
Gallina’s wife was on the picket line at the time, as he told the News in an interview on Dec. 9.
Matthew Cameron, the spokesperson for the city, said the Council Procedures Bylaw regulates conflict of interest. In a Jan. 9 email to the News, Cameron said council upholds the standards for other council members, including in cases of conflicts of interest.
“While speaking publicly to the issue was not in conflict in and of itself, my vote on the matter was an oversight on my part,” Gallina said during the council meeting on Jan. 6.
“My motivation was always to address a community matter that impacted hundreds of Whitehorse residents. However, I recognize now that my actions did not align with the boundaries that are set out for council members and for that I do sincerely apologize.”
The city spokesperson told the News the matter appears to be resolved.
At the meeting, Gallina went on to promise diligence in recognizing and respecting the boundaries. He thanked mayor, council and administration for their guidance on the matter.
Gallina left the chambers when Mac Clohan, the head of the local postal worker’s union, gave a delegation. The purpose of his appearance was to ask council to investigate how city staff ended up delivering mail during the postal strike.
Clohan was interrupted twice by Mayor Kirk Cameron during his delegation. Cameron explained he did not want Clohan to point the blame at individuals within the corporation of the City of Whitehorse, but rather address the blame to the City of Whitehorse corporation as a whole.
Contact Talar Stockton at talar.stockton@yukon-news.com
