Niels Konge violated the code of conduct that governs Yellowknife city councillors last year, according to the municipal integrity commissioner.
Councillors received a report from commissioner Sheldon Toner at an afternoon committee meeting Feb. 14. They are expected to discuss the report at a meeting scheduled for 7 p.m., Monday (Feb. 14) and determine whether or not Konge will be censured for his comments.
Konge was not present at the Feb. 14 meeting of the governance and priorities committee of council.
“I have no comment,” Konge said when reached by telephone Monday afternoon.
The comments occurred on Sept. 27 and Nov. 1 of 2021 during meetings of the City of Yellowknife’s Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC).
Konge’s comments on Sept. 27 made reference to the sixties scoop when discussing the experience of small businesses regarding a development permit for the temporary day shelter facility.
Then, on Nov. 1, Konge compared a proposed proof of vaccination policy to racial segregation, specifically, to non-white individuals not being able to sit at the front of “the bus.”
“I just have to be honest and say that I have been feeling nauseous at some of the comparisons that have been made between the current experiences of people who are unvaccinated and historically, groups that have been systemically oppressed because of their race, because of their culture,” Coun. Shauna Morgan said Nov. 1.
Konge apologized for comments made on Sept. 27 before the end of the meeting that day, as well as his comments from Nov. 1 at a meeting held Nov. 8.
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“I did not mean for my words to hurt anyone, but they did and for that, I am deeply sorry,” said Konge during the Nov. 8 GPC meeting.
The initial comments made in September resulted in one complaint being filed with the commissioner, while the second set brought about five additional complaints. These complaints came to the attention of Toner on Nov. 2 and 3 of 2021.
Issues brought forward in the second set allege that Konge’s comments were “discriminatory and inappropriate,” Toner writes. “Three or four staff members had come to her to say the comments should not have happened and were embarrassing.
According to the report, Konge was provided with copies all six complaints submitted. Konge did not respond in writing, but fully cooperated with the interview as part of the commissioner’s investigation.