Board votes to remove Sheila Fitzgerald as MNL President.

For Immediate Release
March 30, 2021

St. John’s, NL – On the morning of March 29, 2021, it came to Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador’s (MNL) attention that Sheila Fitzgerald shared a racist Facebook post.  There was an immediate and coordinated effort to hold a special meeting of the Board of Directors that same day.

MNL operates within a clearly defined Code of Ethical Conduct policy and the Board agrees that Ms. Fitzgerald’s social media post is in direct violation of that policy. Last night, after reviewing the facts and our governing documents, it voted to remove Ms. Fitzgerald from her role on the Board.

Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador denounces racism and intolerance in all forms. MNL is committed to sustaining a culture of diversity and inclusion, and will continue to work to strengthen equity in our municipalities. As leaders in our communities, we have a responsibility to listen to underrepresented voices and call out acts of hatred, racism, and discrimination.

Over the coming months, MNL will strengthen its relationship with the BIPOC community as we continue to collaborate with our partners to fight racism and discrimination in our communities.

The Board has committed to diversity and anti-racism training starting at the Symposium and AGM in May and we will be developing supports for municipal leaders to help them fight racism and xenophobia in their communities. We are also committed to a complete review of our own internal policies to ensure the elimination of any systemic racism.

MNL apologizes for this incident and recognizes the impact it has had on our community and individuals affected by racism every day. If any member has questions, we encourage you to reach out to us via email at info@municipalnl.ca.

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