A Winnipeg city councillor is in hot water after calling a cycling advocate “the bicycle Nazi” during a committee meeting this week.
The comment was made during a Tuesday meeting for the city’s public works committee that discussed how to calm Osborne Street traffic, along River and Assiniboine avenues, in order to prevent a high number of pedestrian and cyclist deaths.
Coun. Russ Wyatt (Transcona) argued that increasing the size of the island on Osborne Street and River Avenue would help slow nearby traffic without having to remove the slip lane (which allows motorists to change roads without entering an intersection).
“I think that is the issue, for the average people who don’t show up to the committee,” he said. “I realize the bicycle Nazi wants to take away all the lanes and the cars.”
Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, was at the meeting to advocate for pedestrian and cyclist safety.
In a Wednesday news release, the group called for Wyatt’s removal from the public works standing committee, saying his comment violated the city council’s code of conduct.
Wyatt’s characterization of Cohoe and the community he represents is “deeply concerning,” the group said in the release.
‘Unacceptable,’ mayor says
Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham called Wyatt’s comment “unacceptable.”
“I hope he takes the opportunity to reflect … and in fact, to reach out and apologize to the group,” Gillingham told CBC on Wednesday.
He said it’s up to city council to determine who sits on city committees, but anyone with a complaint about a council member can make a report to the integrity commissioner.
Gillingham says he has always had a good relationship with Bike Winnipeg. “Even when we don’t always agree on city policy, we’ve always been able to have a good relationship.”
Committee chair wants public apology
Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West) says she is going to file a report about Wyatt’s “Nazi” comment to the city’s integrity commissioner.
As chairperson of the public works committee, Lukes says there’s a lot of moving parts and apologized that she didn’t hear Wyatt’s comment.
“I missed it, and I feel horrible that I missed it. I didn’t hear it,” she told CBC on Wednesday. “I don’t want to say that I tune him out sometimes, but I guess I’m going to say that.”
Lukes has since contacted Bike Winnipeg to apologize as chairperson of the public works committee, she said.
She says Wyatt “may have to make a public apology. I’d like to see him make a public apology.”
CBC has reached out to Wyatt for comment.