No verbal reprimand for councillor who 'bullied' couple

There will be no public reprimand for an Ottawa city councillor found by the integrity commissioner to have bullied and intimidated a couple in his ward.

Instead, city councillorsaccepted integrity commissioner Robert Marleau's report onCoun. George Darouzewithout comment during their meeting Wednesday.

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Marleaufound Darouzehad written to the police chief to complain that the wife of an officer had been spreading false information. The woman had criticized Darouze on Facebook over comments he'd made about policing during last fall's municipal election campaign.

Darouze, who is also a deputy mayor,is the first city councillor found to havecontravened the city's code of conduct since the integrity commissioner's office was established in 2012.

Marleau recommended city council reprimand Darouze, and that he write letters of apology to the couple involved. Marleau also recommended Darouze's email be removed from the officer's personnel file.

No one spoke to it, but [the report] was passed, and I said 'received' and 'carried' on the points that had to be received and carried.- Mayor Jim Watson

The couple has told CBC they've already received letters from Darouze, but did not find them sincere.

Following Wednesday's council meeting, Mayor Jim Watson said council's terse approval ofthe report amounted to a public reprimand.

"No one spoke to it, but [the report] was passed, and I said 'received' and 'carried' on the points that had to be received and carried," Watson said.

Watson said he believesDarouze is remorseful for his actions.

"I think in an emotionally charged arena like an election, people can say things that they regret afterward. And I think the integrity commissioner took the appropriate action by bringing forward those recommendations," he said.