The City of Langley has responded to a legal action launched by one of its own councillors, over a Code of Conduct investigation.
Councillor Delaney Mack was found to have violated the council’s code of conduct. On May 6, she petitioned the court, asking a judge to overturn that internal City ruling, and to find that the decision was procedurally unfair and unreasonable.
She also claimed that the Code of Conduct violated her free speech rights because it requires councillors to “accurately and in a positive manner, communicate the decisions of the council, even if they disagree with the majority decision of council, so that there is respect for and integrity in the decision-making processes of council.”
Mack had been critical of a council decision on Facebook.
The City’s response, filed on June 5, denies Mack’s allegations, and says the City, council, and Mayor Nathan Pachal “acted in a reasonable and fair manner” at all times.
It also denies that the Code of Conduct bylaw restricts freedom of speech.
“The Code of Conduct bylaw is directed only at councillors in the performance of their duties as elected officials,” the City’s response said. “Unlike private citizens, elected officials voluntarily assume office subject to ethical and procedural obligations.”
The response also argues that if there is any restriction on speech, it is “minimal,” and not “a blanket prohibition on political speech or personal opinion.”
None of the allegations made in Mack’s original petition to the court, or in the City’s response, has been tested before a judge or proven in court.
The complaint against Mack was made by Coun. Teri James on June 13 last year.
During the last two years, the City has spent $328,000 on legal and investigative costs related to Code of Conduct investigations.
The City’s response also outlines four recent complaints, three started by Mack, as well as the one against her. The complaints involve a variety of different sections of the Code of Conduct.
For three of the four complaints, the City hired Ritu Mahil – a lawyer who works as a mediator, arbitrator, and workplace investigator – to perform an outside investigation.
The first complaint by Mack was launched Jan. 26, 2025 against Coun. Paul Albrecht, and another was launched against Coun. Rosemary Wallace on May 26 of the same year. Mahil investigated both of those complaints and found that neither Albrecht nor Wallace had breached the Code of Conduct.
James launched her complaint about Mack, the one that led to the current legal battle, on June 13, 2025. Mahil was also the investigator on that complaint, finding that there had been a violation.
Then on Oct. 6, 2025, Mack started another complaint, this one against James.
This complaint was not forwarded to Mahil for an outside investigation. After a preliminary assessment, Pachal “determined it was unnecessary to conduct an investigation” and dismissed it.