City of Nanaimo CAO Tracy Renee Samra charged with fear of injury/damage by another person

UPDATE: March 22

A special prosecutor has approved an application to bind the City of Nanaimo’s chief administrative officer to apeace bond.

Nine individuals have reasonable grounds to fear that Tracy Samra, the highest-ranking employee with the Cityof Nanaimo, could cause them harm, a court document shows.

Samra was arrested by RCMP following an incident at city hall Jan. 31, when she allegedly made threats againstmultiple individuals. She has since been charged with one count of fear of injury/damage by another person.Samra is scheduled to appear in Nanaimo provincial court on March 27.

According to the court document, RCMP believe that Mayor Bill McKay, city councillors Sheryl Armstrong andDiane Brennan and Jan Kemp, Sheila Gurrie, Donna Stennes, Kim Fowler, Brad McRae and Dominic Jones havereasonable grounds to fear personal harm or injury stemming from the Jan. 31 incident.

Kemp, Gurrie and Stennes are currently employed with the city, while Fowler and McRae are former employees.Jones runs an independent news website.

The B.C. Prosecution Service announced today that Michael Klein, the special prosecutor appointed to overseethe case, has approved an application to bind Samra to a peace bond. The prosecution service also said Kleinwas appointed in an effort to avoid any potential for real or perceived improper influence in the administrationof justice and confirmed Samra’s upcoming court date.

Samra’s attorney, Victoria-based criminal defence lawyer Robert A. Mulligan, told the News Bulletin he’s hopingto postpone the case and doubts the March 27 court date will take place.

“I don’t expect that will happen in that I’m going to be, before then, seeking to adjourn the case to give sometime necessary to do the work leading up to settling on the course of the case,” he said.

Mulligan said the charge against his client is not a charge in the “usual” way, but is an application for a peacebond, explaining that the Crown is simply seeking to have Samra agree to follow certain conditions.

“It’s an application to the court to order a peace bond, meaning to order that the respondent, in this case Ms.Samra, enter into a recognizance agreeing to follow certain conditions in order to prevent any difficulties goingforward,” he said.

Conditions imposed on individuals following successful peace bond applications can include prohibiting contactwith certain individuals, weapons bans and prohibiting the consumption or use of drugs or alcohol according toSection 810 of the Criminal Code.

Mulligan said there are “interim” conditions placed on his client – conditions are similar to those that could arisefrom a peace bond – that will remain in place until the case is concluded.

“They essentially call upon Ms. Samra not to have contact with a number of people,” he said.

Samra remains employed with the city and is on leave.

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Original: March 21

The highest-ranking employee with the City of Nanaimo has been charged in relation to an incident that allegedly took place at city hall earlier this year.

Tracy Renee Samra, chief administrative officer with the city, was charged with fear of injury/damage by another person.

A court date has been scheduled for March 27.

RELATED: City investigating ‘allegation of significant concern’

RELATED: No word on CAO’s status a month after threats

Sheila Gurrie, city clerk, confirmed that Samra has been charged and that the city was made aware of it earlier today.

“We cannot comment at this time, but it is an going criminal issue,” she said. “We were notified about it … I personally found out today and I believe it was this morning that we were notified.”

BREAKING: Criminal charges filed against Nanaimo CAO Tracy Samra. https://t.co/E2idv5apvM #bcpoli — Nicholas M Pescod (@npescod) March 21, 2018

Mayor Bill McKay said he was made aware of the charges this afternoon, but could not comment further. He said Samra is still on leave.

According to Daniel McLaughlin, Crown counsel spokesman, Michael Klein, special prosecutor in the case, has not authorized any comment at this time.

RELATED: Video shows assault at Nanaimo city meeting

-with files from Karl Yu/The News Bulletin