Oh Woe is Me

It's two weeks since I received a letter from Mr.Elliott, Town Treasurer/Human Resources Director. A brown envelope was left at my place at the council table. It informed me of a complaint of harassment against me by Jason Ballantyne, Manager of Communications for the Town of Aurora.

Mr.Ballantyne was apparently offended by references in my blog posts.

Next day, I received a phone call from Mr. Elliott informing me a person had been retained to deal with the complaint. He had fixed a date for a meeting .

He said "we" are putting together the substance of the complaint and it would be forwarded.

In turn, I informed Mr. Elliott he should make no further arrangements on my behalf. I am not an employee. I am not subject to his authority.

Mr. Elliott thought otherwise.

I received a bundle of my own blog posts stamped CONFIDENTIAL. and a request to keep the matter confidential.

I did keep the matter confidential. I had already removed his name from my posts and expressed regret for any distress he might have experienced.

Mr.Ballantyne is an employee. I am an elected representative . Normally, the two do not engage in dispute. It is an unequal contest.

I already posted here about the Mayor's reference in the community, to an investigation she had ordered into harassment.

I also posted on why a Councillor is not an employee.

I heard no more about continuance of the harassment complaint.

It's time for a re-cap.

The findings of David Tzubouchi, Integrity Commissioner chosen by six defendants in a law suit, on complaints filed by Councillor MacEachern ,a party to the same law suit, have failed in their desired impact.

An earlier complaint, investigated and prepared by a lawyer at taxpayer's expense, signed by the same six, repudiated by two councillors , dismissed by the first Integrity Commissioner, himself dismissed in turn, had the opposite of its intended impact.

It triggered the law suit.

The harassment complaint from a staff person, processed by town resources , is the latest in the series of attempts to discredit.

But not the last.

I have stated in every forum there is , I do not acknowledge the authority of a third party to judge my conduct as an elected representative.

I will answer to the people who elected me.

The Code of Conduct, was written and adopted, I believe, as a means to silence my voice and deny my rights under The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. From my perspective it has no credence.

The issue is before the courts.

In July, staff recommended to Council a moratorium on complaints, as in other municipalities with Codes, from August 1st. The logic being to prevent the process being "abused" for political purposes during an election campaign.

Yesterday, I received notice of yet another complaint filed by Jason Ballantyne, Manager of Communications for the Town Of Aurora.

This one is not about harassment and concern for his professional reputation before his peers.

It is a complaint about contravention of Clause 3 of The Code. About information I provided in Blog posts about the Westhill Development application.

Mr. Ballantyne has undertaken to dispute my take on the issue.

The Westhill Development appeal is currently being heard by the Ontario Municipal Board in the old library building on Victoria Street.

If you can, you should drop in and hear it for yourself.