Murray moves to clarify work record comments

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This article was published 06/10/2022 (811 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Glen Murray says he doesn’t let personal issues affect his work life and the Winnipeg mayoral candidate “misspoke,” when he recently indicated otherwise.

Following a news conference Friday, Murray was asked to explain an apparent discrepancy on the issue.

On Sept. 29, Murray issued a statement noting he had allowed pressure in his private life “to spill over” into his work life during his time at the Pembina Institute energy think tank in Alberta, where he worked in 2017-18.

That explanation was also included in a written statement Murray shared the same day.

On Oct. 5, he told the audience at a mayoral event he didn’t bring his problems to work at that job or others.

On Friday, Murray stressed the most recent comment was accurate.

“I did not take my problems to work in my view… If I misspoke (initially) I apologize, but I get asked a lot of questions in a day. I hope that’s quite clear,” said Murray, 64, who was mayor of Winnipeg 1998-2004 and is seeking to get the job back in the Oct. 26 civic election.

The comments followed a news story where some former Pembina staff claimed Murray was forced out of his role following complaints about his “chaotic” management. One staff member also accused Murray of sexual harassment at a social event.

Murray has consistently denied the allegation. “I have never committed sexual harassment. Never,” he said Friday.

The mayoral candidate also noted three people involved with his work at the Pembina Institute have stepped forward to publicly defend him. The supporters include Bill Reed, who spoke at a conference he says was related to some key allegations. Reed wrote a letter to the editor on the topic, published in the Oct. 7 edition of the Free Press.

“I can assert without reservation that Glen was professional and a great host. He did not drink excessively or behave inappropriately. I was present with him for much of the event,” wrote Reed.

Murray also questioned the timing of the allegations being shared with media, which were revealed shortly after a poll deemed him the front-runner in the mayoral campaign.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga