EDMONTON -- A St. Albert councillor who thought his microphone was muted swore while a resident spoke during a public hearing on Zoom Tuesday.
Rachel Vincent, a St. Albert resident of 42 years, was sharing her concerns on Averton's Midtown development in South Riel, when Coun. Ray Watkins was heard saying, "Oh God, I'm going to f*****g vomit."
Vincent then said, "Excuse me? Councillor Watkins, you need to mute your mic."
A couple of residents' jaws dropped and one laughed. Coun. Ken MacKay slumped in his chair and Coun. Natalie Joly covered her mouth in disbelief and eventually turned her camera off for a few seconds.
The exchange happened just after the 4:15:00 mark.
After Vincent finished moments later, Mayor Cathy Heron, and then MacKay, apologized for "the interruption." When Coun. Jacquie Hansen spoke, she too, apologized.
When the mayor began to move on to the next topic, Joly put her hand up and asked Watkins to apologize.
"Decorum in these meetings is something that we've committed to," Joly said.
Watkins said: "I apologize for my comments. It wasn't really in relation to those speaks … it wasn't meant to be heard by anyone except myself, and it wasn't a comment on Rachel's particular points."
In a statement to CTV News Edmonton, Vincent said, "Councillor Watkins has apologized - both during the meeting, and later by email - and I have accepted his apology."
CTV News reached out to Watkins but he declined to comment.
