A request for an apology in Victoria council chambers will have to wait a week after failing to make the Jan. 29 committee of the whole agenda.

Coun. Stephen Hammond submitted a council member motion on Jan. 28 asking Coun. Jeremy Caradonna to issue an "unequivocal and sincere apology" for comments calling him a liar during the Jan. 23 meeting.

Because the notice of motion came in late, it had to pass a vote at council, with two-thirds in favour of adding it to the agenda.

Conversation surrounding adding the motion to the agenda specifically did not consider the content or merits of the motion, but only whether it should be added to the dayB次元官网网址檚 agenda.

Some who opposed adding the item to the agenda noted it didnB次元官网网址檛 meet the threshold for B次元官网网址渢imelinessB次元官网网址� to be addressed by council.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 at the will of the chamber of course,B次元官网网址� Hammond said ahead of voting. B次元官网网址淚f this council wants to drag this issue out for another week IB次元官网网址檓 more than happy to bring it in next week. B次元官网网址� I assume people would want to get this out of the way now, but IB次元官网网址檓 more than happy to let it be discussed yet another week in the public discourse.B次元官网网址�

It needed two-thirds support around the table and failed in a 4-4 vote with Mayor Alto and Couns. Hammond, Chris Coleman and Marg Gardiner in favour and Couns. Dave Thompson, Susan Kim, Matt Dell and Caradonna opposed.

As the item didnB次元官网网址檛 make committee, it also didnB次元官网网址檛 appear at the council meeting held later the same morning.

The comments in question arose during a committee of the whole meeting discussing advertising around the coming Crystal Pool referendum.

Victoria residents vote on whether the city can borrow up to $168.9 million to replace the facility; and to select a preferred site option between Central Park North or Central Park South. Advanced voting is already underway with general voting on Feb. 8 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

At the Jan. 23 meeting, Hammond put forward a motion to "put a stop to one-sided advertising regarding the referendum" and to "replace upcoming advertising and information sessions, as well as the cityB次元官网网址檚 website to include arguments or reasoning for both the B次元官网网址榶esB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址榥oB次元官网网址� sides of the binding question on the referendum.B次元官网网址�

In response, Caradonna said Hammond lied to the public.

"I find it very hard to believe that the mover of this original motion was shocked to see this poster at a bus stop when he in fact was involved in unanimously approving it," he said.

While HammondB次元官网网址檚 motion seeking apology didnB次元官网网址檛 arise at the council meeting held directly after committee, as it wasnB次元官网网址檛 on the agenda, members did discuss the related referendum communications strategy presentation from September 2024, released as a B次元官网网址渞ise and reportB次元官网网址� item on the Jan. 30 council agenda.

Caradonna apologized for mentioning who voted for what and incorrectly implying council endorsed a certain communication strategy. Instead what happened is council endorsed a path of neutrality on the advertising campaign, he said. 

He was careful to point out the poster that was B次元官网网址渁 topic of much discussionB次元官网网址� was in the presentation.

B次元官网网址淭he mea culpas are a little late on this,B次元官网网址� Hammond countered later, mentioning the apology motion wonB次元官网网址檛 be discussed until next week.

The final decision taken during that closed meeting isnB次元官网网址檛 shared in the rise and report, but Hammond contends it didnB次元官网网址檛 say council will take a neutral and balanced approach.

B次元官网网址淚t comes close but it did not say that.B次元官网网址�

Council next meets Thursday, Feb. 6. Find the agenda and ways to participate online at .

- with files from Bailey Seymour.