Councillor sorry for calling group ‘bicycle nazis’

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This article was published 10/04/2024 (520 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Coun. Russ Wyatt says he wants to “humbly apologize” to Bike Winnipeg for using the term “bicycle nazis” when members of the group appeared before a city committee Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the group demanded the Transcona councillor be ousted from the city’s public works committee for his remarks.

Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, was giving a presentation about safety measures for the intersection of Osborne Street and River Avenue, and Osborne Street South, when Wyatt used the term.

“For the average people who don’t show up to the committee, I realize a bicycle Nazi wants to take away all the lanes for the cars,” he said, before being cut off by a delegate.

Bike Winnipeg published a news release Wednesday in which it said Wyatt should be removed over a “flagrant and deliberate violation” of council’s code of conduct.

“Use of the term ‘nazi’ is not only offensive, it is also harmful to generations affected by Nazi Germany’s murder of six million Jews in the 1930s and 1940s,” the release states. “The fact an elected official would use such language in a public meeting without immediate censure should be of concern to every Winnipeg citizen.”

When first asked to respond to the group, Wyatt said he made the comment out of “frustration” with Bike Winnipeg’s presentation.

“I don’t think they’re necessarily representing all the cyclists and bikers out there in Winnipeg,” he said.

Mayor Scott Gillingham called Wyatt’s comments “completely unacceptable.”

“I would encourage the councillor to retract his comments and to address it with Bike Winnipeg,” he told reporters earlier in the day.

Section 9 of council’s code of conduct, says all members have a “duty to treat members of the public, one another, city staff and their own staff with respect and without abuse, harassment, or intimidation.”

Late Wednesday, the councillor issued a written statement in which he said he wasn’t referring to any one person, but he agreed it was a “poor choice of words.”

He said he’s irritated with Bike Winnipeg for demanding lanes be closed to vehicles so cyclists have more access.

“My constituents and others have expressed frustration at the vehicle lanes closures, the loss of parking to small business, as well as the impact on making our streets easy to both drive and bike on.”

He cited examples such as Assiniboine and Stradbrook avenues.

“The city plans to take more lanes from vehicles, from more streets, something that many in the city find frustrating, including myself,” the statement said.

Wyatt said he is behind efforts to build the active transportation network but doesn’t believe they should make travel difficult for drivers of vehicles.

Ian McCausland, a board member with Bike Winnipeg, said Wyatt’s conduct was unbecoming.

“We need to have council members in this committee who are willing to engage with all stakeholders in a respectful manner,” he said.

Mel Marginet, who says she’s a regular delegate to the public works committee, and spoke on behalf of Green Action Winnipeg Wednesday, said Wyatt arrived late and “seems to have just no real interest or care in following expertise or adopted plans and strategies.”

“An apology would be great from this councillor, but I would really ask the mayor to consider whether or not the community can have trust in this committee with this person, who just clearly doesn’t bother to read the plans and the strategies, just has no real care to respect the community members within these inner-city communities and their calls for more safety,” she said.

Mayor Gillingham appoints the chair of standing policy committees, but not the members.

Wyatt said on Facebook Tuesday he was in discussions with the federal NDP about possibly running for the seat recently vacated by New Democrat Daniel Blaikie. A byelection date has yet to be announced.

— with files from Nicole Buffie

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca