Statement From the Mayor

Ingersoll, ON April 12, 2024

A statement from the Mayor:

Political debate allows for difference in opinion, but it crosses the line to inappropriate when the independence of Staff recommendations, along with their professionalism and integrity, is questioned in a public forum. It also crosses the line when accusations against fellow members are made in a public forum that calls into question their professionalism and integrity. There are mechanisms available to the public, staff, and council if they believe inappropriate behaviour has occurred. These methods provide the proper forum for such serious matters.

At the Regular Meeting of Council on Monday, April 8th, 2024, while Council was considering Staff Report C-006-24 - Transition to OPP Detachment Board Under the Community Safety and Policing Act, Town Councillor Khadijah Haliru made a series of statements that I feel truly breached the Town of Ingersoll Council Code of Conduct and the Council-Staff Relations Policy. Both the Code of Conduct and the Council-Staff relations policy state that complaints regarding these policies should be made to the Town’s Integrity Commissioner.

So, with that, I have signed an affidavit and attested to the Commissioner that I believe there is evidence that Councillor Haliru broke multiple sections of the code, and I have requested his office to investigate the matter. This is not a matter I take lightly and would not have proceeded if I did not feel it was required. The Commissioner is an independent third party, separate from the Town and I have full trust in their ability to deal with this matter appropriately.

The accusations that were made towards me during the meeting, if true, would be serious breaches of the Code of Conduct. In the name of transparency and integrity, I have requested the Integrity Commissioner to investigate those accusations as potential contraventions of the Code of Conduct against myself and I have ensured the Commissioner that I will participate fully in such an investigation.

I have provided a copy of the complaint to all members of Council before issuing this statement to ensure complete transparency among my colleagues on Council. As this matter is now in the Town’s Integrity Commissioner’s hands, I will refrain from commenting on the matter further until their office has addressed it out of respect for their process.

Town of Ingersoll Mayor,

Mayor Brian Petrie

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