Kerfuffle in Kinburn: Clarke Kelly admits swearing, but denies allegations of daycare operator

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West Carleton Coun. Clarke Kelly admits he lost his temper Wednesday and swore at the head of a daycare at the Kinburn community centre where he has his office, but denies that children were present at the time.

The bizarre incident occurred Wednesday morning while Kelly was taking part virtually in a meeting of the city’s planning and housing committee from his office in the West Carleton Community Complex on Carp Road at Kinburn Side Road. It is also the site of the West Carleton Kids Korner daycare.

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In an email to parents yesterday afternoon, the daycare operator, Karen Bolton, alleged Kelly entered the daycare and used profanities and “vulgar language” toward staff and children and that she had called police.

“This morning, Councillor Kelly took it upon himself to enter chambers where a small summer camp group was doing crafts and started yelling profanities at staff, threatening that the camp has to go and using vulgar language and names towards staff and children,” she wrote.

This newspaper has reached out to the West Carleton Kids Korner for more information but has not received a response.

Ottawa Police said officers were called to Carp Road in response to a “disturbance” just before 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Police spoke to all individuals involved and got statements, with the incident deemed as non-criminal.

Police could not confirm who made the call but said a disturbance is a “general catch-all” and can include people shouting, fighting or can be a large group of people out on a road disturbing traffic or the public.

“The officers on scene are responsible for assessing what is happening,” police said. “They spoke to everybody involved in this disturbance and no criminal charges were laid.”

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Bolton says Kelly confronted a staff member who was outside the building “with toddlers” and acted “in an aggressive manor (sic) trying to cause an escalated confrontation.”

Kelly called that message “a gross misrepresentation” and “libelous” in a statement posted Wednesday evening.

He denied yelling at staff or threatening the camp had to go, denied using vulgar language or names toward staff or children and denied that he tried to escalate the confrontation.

Kelly said children were outside his office window, rapping on the glass, bouncing basketballs and striking metal poles with lacrosse sticks and making it difficult for him to hear his meeting. He says he went out to speak to the staff member and ask them to move the children away from the window.

“To be clear, there were no profanities used in this exchange. My request was met with a rude (and) unhelpful response,” he wrote.

“At this point, I decided to take it upon myself to go up and speak with the owner of the daycare. I acknowledge that I did use profanities during this exchange, which I regret doing. To be clear, there were no children present during this exchange.

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“I should have taken time to collect myself before going to speak with the owner. My failure to do so does not excuse my use of profanities when speaking with her.”

In a video of the meeting, broadcast on the city’s YouTube channel, Kelly can be seen glancing over his shoulder at a window behind him several times. He then gets up and walks out of camera range for about 30 seconds. After returning to his seat, he looks back at the window several more times before leaving off camera again for an indeterminate time (the video switches to a full-screen view of a delegation’s presentation to the committee so doesn’t show when Kelly returns.)

Kelly said the issue with noise from the daycare had been an ongoing one, but that, until yesterday, his own daughter was on the waiting list to attend West Carleton Kids Korner.

“Despite many efforts to try and address concerns that were raised in previous years in advance of the camp season, it was evident today that all of our efforts and communications from the City, asking the camp to respect the office environment that they coexist in were ignored,” Kelly wrote.

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In a text message, Kelly said that at no point has he, or his office, attempted to shut down the daycare or have it moved from the building. They have, however, “on several occasions” suggested that the summer camp operations be moved to a nearby arena beside the West Carleton Community Complex.

“This (would) be an easy solution to the ongoing issues,” Kelly said. “As the ward councillor I would never want to shut down our only daycare.”

Kelly wrote in his media statement he would have been “horrified” to receive an email like the one the daycare sent to parents.

“That said, what she sent out is not only misleading, but a gross misrepresentation of today’s events. Beyond that, it is unfair and an unfounded assault on my character. To that end, I have already notified my lawyer who will be addressing the libelous statement made (by) Ms. (Bolton).”

With files from Catherine Morrison. 

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