City Hall’s culture of secrecy has once again been exposed, this time with the resignation of Councillor Sherri Rollins from Mayor Gillingham’s Executive Policy Committee (EPC). Rollins claimed the mayor’s office is withholding information, a complaint that echoes what many councillors have already voiced. Councillor Brian Mayes has been a frequent critic of this administration’s lack of transparency, often forced to resort to Freedom of Information requests to obtain basic reports. Rollins’ resignation is another glaring example of the dysfunction and secrecy plaguing Gillingham’s administration.
Gillingham’s administration is floundering. It began its term by removing a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) that Gillingham himself voted to hire. A key financial officer also decided to leave her position under this administration’s watch. Not to mention, we still have no new police chief despite the mayor knowing of the former chief’s retirement date for over a year. Meanwhile, Gillingham has introduced the highest property tax increase in decades while claiming the city faces serious financial woes. He has even drained the legislated “Rainy Day Fund.” Yet, it makes big press announcements about the millions of dollars that continue to flow to his friends in the arts community. Where is the accountability?
Now, let’s consider the ongoing Parker Lands debacle. Gillingham touted record housing permits issued under his watch, yet these numbers included developments like Parker Lands that haven’t even materialized. Housing starts remain abysmally low under his watch, and the city’s permit revenue has dropped significantly, in the millions, compared to previous years. This administration’s narrative does not align with reality.
The secrecy surrounding city business extends to the contentious Lemay Forest issue. At a recent Property and Planning meeting, it was revealed that the city’s Planning Director met privately with Gillingham to discuss acquiring the land in question, including through potential appropriation. Why is the mayor holding closed-door meetings on matters of public interest? Where was the area councillor? More importantly, where were the members of the committee that would be required to make the decision, or at least the political spin would suggest the committee would need to approve any type of deal. This kind of backroom dealing only fuels mistrust.
The recent budget revealed yet another failure of this administration to exercise spending control. It was a spend-happy budget built on the backs of taxpayers, with no effort to prioritize or manage costs responsibly. Gillingham’s administration even spent taxpayer dollars on a ridiculous poll designed as political spin to justify his broken campaign promises and the record property tax increase. Instead of addressing Winnipeg’s financial challenges with meaningful solutions, they chose to rely on empty rhetoric and wasteful spending that you and I will pay for through higher taxes, our homes assessed value, and out-of-control fees.
The lack of transparency extends beyond the mayor’s office. The Winnipeg Police Board, chaired by Councillor Markus Chambers, recently stated publicly that they sought outside legal opinions regarding the hiring of a new police chief. Councillors have repeatedly asked for information about the search process, only to be ignored. To find out through media reports that the board is seeking legal advice raises serious questions. Why does the board need a lawyer to confirm it followed the proper hiring process? Shouldn’t these considerations have been addressed before the search began? Is there a looming lawsuit? Did the board make an offer without the council’s approval, only to realize—after the Winnipeg Sun exclusive story suggesting scrutiny of the candidate—that they might have made a mistake?
Secrecy is at the root of all these issues. It creates an environment where decisions are made without accountability, and councillors outside the mayor’s inner circle are left in the dark. Gillingham’s claim, following Rollins’ resignation, that he looks forward to working with her as he does with all council members rings hollow and is a typical political response made for only the media. Many councillors have openly criticized his administration. Mayes has publicly opposed the push for four-plexes throughout the city, asking for more details—details the mayor has yet to provide. Mayes had to resort to filing a Freedom of Information request to do the job he was elected to do. This is unacceptable.
The Winnipeg Sun itself has faced the same stonewalling. Our requests for information from the mayor’s office have been ignored. Emails have gone unanswered, and questions have been disregarded. This is not how democracy is supposed to work.
What does this say about the councillors who continue to support Gillingham—Evan Duncan, Janice Lukes, Jeff Browaty, and Vivian Santos? Their unwavering loyalty enables this culture of secrecy. Why won’t they stand up for the rights of all elected officials to access information? Is it the allure of extra pay, prestige, or political recognition? Lukes, Browaty, and Chambers endorsed Gillingham during his campaign, praising his ability to work with council members. Duncan’s campaign echoed similar sentiments, even hiring Gillingham’s former assistant. These councillors must be held accountable for perpetuating this secrecy.
Secrecy destroys democracy. It allows corruption to fester and erodes public trust. Meetings behind closed doors breed corruption, as decisions are made without scrutiny and without accountability. When elected officials are kept in the dark, they cannot represent their constituents effectively. The people of Winnipeg deserve transparency and honesty, not a government that operates in the shadows.
The next time you vote, remember this: secrecy is the enemy of democracy. Demand candidates who vow to end backroom politics and offer full transparency. Insist that they pledge to resign if they fail to deliver on this promise. Anything less is a betrayal of the public’s trust.