Medicine Hat city councillor apologizes for end-of-council remarks after backlash

“I’m not going to extend this meeting bcause I think we absolutely could have got this done today, but we chose to move the agenda,” Sharps said following Clark’s motion.

Council agreed to Clark’s earlier proposal to move up other items on the agenda ahead of her request so that city staff would not have to stay later.

“There’s consequences to that, so I literally can’t have a good conversation any longer. I have a responsibility while I’m sitting at this table to be somewhat coherent and I’m losing the will to live,” Sharps said.

Coun. Sharps said that she’s received complaints calling her statement insensitive but also received discriminatory attacks as well.

Sharps apologized Tuesday to those who she may have offended, but asks that everyone looks at the intention behind what someone says.

“If anyone was offended, truly offended by anything I said, I will apologize to you because it is never my intention to hurt anyone like that,” Sharps told CHAT News.

“But also, I would like everyone to just calm down a little bit and look at people’s intentions,” she added.

“You can call me or text me, you don’t have to go to social media, you don’t have to internalize it, you can say it to me and I will listen to you.”

A petition was started calling on Sharps to resign.

Psychologist Ben Coxson says that stress can affect everyone differently.

He stresses that what someone might find stressful, another person may not.

“Stress can change how you perceive your situation,” Coxson said.

“Stress can also change how you proceed or want to act within that situation,” he explained.

“What’s the best choice, and that’s not in any particular example, that’s across everyone.”

— with files from Eli J. Ridder

by Adrian St.Onge

Medicine Hat city councillor apologizes for end-of-council remarks after backlash

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