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They’re watching Clarence-Rockland council now GREGGCHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
ROCKLAND | The corruption charges co- louring Clarence-Rockland council’s af- fairs now have the full and complete attention of Ontario’s municipal affairs ministry. Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Linda Jeffrey said in a French radio inter- view last week that she will now be keeping a “close eye” on the City of Clarence-Rock- land and its affairs since formal charges of breach of trust were laid against the city’s Mayor Marcel Guibord, Councillors Guy Fé- lio and Diane Choinière, and Stéphane J. Lalonde, a lawyer and former business part- ner of the mayor. That tallies with a Sept. 18 phone interview between the Vision and Richard Stromberg, the ministry’s chief me- dia liaison. “We are monitoring the situation,” Strom- berg said. “Let’s see how it develops.” The ministry has been aware of the state of political unrest in Clarence-Rockland since the November 2010 civic elections. Both the ministry and the Ontario Ombudsman’s office have received complaints from both local residents and some council members. The division between the newcomers and veteran members of council has been mak- ing headlines for almost three years. That includes a recent letter from Mayor Guibord to the minister herself complaining disruptive behaviour towards his admin-
Photos archives Roy Thomas, UCLS director of communi- cations, noted that the matter for Lalonde is a criminal court case right now and not one that would be subject to the society’s disciplinary committee. The UCLS commit- tee deals with cases where members are charged with professional misconduct. “The law society’s disciplinary commit- tee’s actions are based on professional behaviour,” Thomas said during a Sept. 18 phone interview. “That is to say, with some- one who has broken the professional rules of the law society.” He noted that the LSUC could take action where a member is charged and convicted in a criminal proceeding. “It’s possible,” he said. “But there isn’t a simple answer to the question. It varies. It depends on the nature of the criminal of- fence.” For now, Thomas said, the LSUC will adopt a “wait and see” position. “We will certainly monitor the situation,” he said.
istration from the four veteran members of council who were part of the previous administration of former mayor Richard Lalonde. The minister’s reply to Guibord urged both sides to try to work together for the benefit of the overall community. Right now, Stromberg noted, there is no active role for the ministry in the current criminal court proceedings involving the three members of council and Lalonde. “There’s no provision in the legislation (Ontario Municipal Act) that would require a mayor or councillor to step down,” he said, adding that a conviction could change the situation depending on the penalty. “A person who is convicted and incarcerated would have to step down. Technically, they would lose his or her seat.” Under the Criminal Code of Canada, con- viction for breach of trust may carry a maxi- mum five-year sentence. But a ruling judge can choose lesser penalties, including fines
or other options that do not require jail time. Stromberg noted that in such a case, the ministry would have to consider the individ- ual situation and decide how it might react. Theministry is not the only agency watch- ing the courtroom concerns of council now. A spokesman for the Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC) also confirmed that the soci- ety is now monitoring the situation. Lalonde, a LSUC member, is also charged with counselling to commit breach of trust. All the charges involving the mayor and two councillors and Lalonde resulted from an OPP investigation of a series of emails that passed between Lalonde and the three members of council soon after the Novem- ber 2010 municipal election. The emails feature details of an alleged plan to force the resignation of Daniel Ga- tien, then-director of the city. At that time Gatien was pursuing a defamation lawsuit against Lalonde.
Le journal Vision a rencon- tré des gens afin d’obte- nir leurs commentaires sur les accusations au criminel portées à l’endroit du maire de la Cité de Clarence- Rockland, Marcel Guibord et les conseillers Guy Fé- Des citoyens mécontents à Clarence-Rockland lio et Diane Choinière. Deux questions ont été po- sées: 1- Que pensez-vous de la situation actuelle à l’Hôtel de ville? 2- Qu’attendez-vous du maire et des conseillers visés? -
Marc-André Lalonde
C’est grave parce qu’on parle d’accusations au criminel. Le procureur ou la PPO n’amènent pas des gens en cour pour rien. Sans nécessairement démissionner, ils devraient peut-être se retirer un peu des décisions tant que la cause est en cour.
Josée Drouin
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Ce n’est pas correct. Surtout parce qu’on parle d’un maire et des conseillers élus. Leur place n’est plus sur le conseil.
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Denis Faubert
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Ce sont des genres de choses qui ne devraient pas être tolérées dans une municipalité. On a élu notre maire pour nous représenter, pour nous aider et une situation comme cela, c’est inacceptable. S’il y a eu un abus, je m’attends à ce qu’une action soit prise par les gens concernés.
Nicole Bazinet
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Je trouve cela très épouvantable. Au lieu d’aller vers l’avant, on va vers l’arrière. devraient démissionner. À Rockland comme à Ottawa, des personnes qui font ce genre de choses laissent leur poste. Je crois qu’ils
Claire Perron
Suzanne Dion
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C’est abominable venant de gens civilisés qui travaillent pour le peuple. Les gens ne doivent pas être contents de la situation. Je m’attends à ce qu’ils disent la vérité et d’en venir au clair. Ça fait longtemps que ça traîne cette histoire.
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Avec la situation qui se passe là, c’est nous qui allons être obligés de payer parce qu’il y a des disputes continuellement. Ils sont innocents jusqu’à preuve du contraire. J’attendrai le verdict.
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