Sarnia's integrity commissioner (IC) has submitted two investigation reports for council to consider at its next regular meeting on October 28.
The first looks into complaints launched against City/County Councillor Bill Dennis by the director of the Sarnia-Lambton Children's Aid Society.
Dawn Flegel made a formal complaint on May 21, 2024 to IC Benjamin Drory and the Human Rights Commission after Dennis criticized a recruitment ad, posted to the agency’s Facebook page, on his social media account.
"This type of discrimination disgusts me," Dennis wrote on his Facebook page. "When I’m mayor, all city hiring will be based on merit. And we will never grant money to organizations like this who practice discriminatory hiring practices. I will restore common sense and kick woke (sic) out of city hall."
On May 23, 2024, Flegel asked Drory to add another comment Dennis made on Facebook to her complaint.
The post by Dennis said, "The director of the Sarnia-Lambton Children’s Aid Society is a Grifter who actually purchased a luxury mansion on the St. Clair Parkway in Corunna. Clearly lots of money to be made in the race hustling/victim business. Just another far left wacko elitist. And a group of bat shit crazy lunatics that try to destroy you if you don’t agree with them. Bring it on."
In his 40 page report, Drory found Dennis contravened the Code of Conduct through his May 23, 2024 social media post.
Drory said council could impose a reprimand or suspension of remuneration as a penalty for the breach.
"This is the third time in my term as integrity commissioner (since March 2023) that I have determined Councillor Dennis has contravened the Code of Conduct. He is an experienced, second-term councillor. There was clearly no acknowledgement of wrongdoing, or indication of remorse or regret in this case, and I consider the wording of the May 23, 2024 post relatively flagrant," Drory said.
Drory said he previously recommended council suspend Dennis' remuneration for 45-days, which they did.
"I consider the contravening conduct in that case significantly worse than in this present case," Drory wrote. "I recommend that council suspend Councillor Dennis’ remuneration for two days, to publicly express its discontent over what took place. However, the decision respecting the appropriate sanction to be imposed belongs to council."
In addition to filing complaints with Drory and the Human Rights Commission, Flegel filed a lawsuit against Dennis.
When Sarnia News Today learned that Dennis filed a countersuit, his legal representative Matthew Olsen was contacted.
Olsen said, "we have reviewed the request with our client, and he has declined to offer your agency a statement."
The second investigation report is 30-pages and focuses on a complaint made by Patrick Coutu against Mayor Mike Bradley.
Coutu, a real estate management company owner, submitted an email trail from July 13, 2024 with the subject 'Rental problems near Rainbow Park' and argued that Bradley had contravened the Code of Conduct within it.
"I believe that Mike Bradley is prejudiced against me," Coutu said in his submission. "You do not need to take my word for it as the man is so wanton in his actions as to have left an email trail as proof. I am requesting that Mike Bradley recuse himself from commenting or voting on any items with my involvement before council in the future as he does not appear to be able to be impartial to my endeavors."
Coutu said he relies on having a great relationship with municipal staff, council, and the general public.
"I respect that council and staff sometimes have different opinions to mine but Mike’s vitriol for a gritty businessman like myself has finally spilt into his 'outside voice,'" Coutu added.
Tension escalated in the July 13, 2024 email exchange, which included an interjection into the conversation by Dennis.
Mayor Bradley concluded his conversation with Coutu by writing, "Your emails illustrate how difficult you are to deal with. Thank goodness there are other[s] in the community who are positive and doing things to make a difference in the challenging times we are in."
Coutu replied by thanking Bradley for the email trail.
"I will hold onto it and cherish it. I believe it reveals much more about yourself that I does [sic] of any of your false claims about me. I believe it is called defamation. Really classy for the mayor. Well done," Coutu said.
Drory concluded that Mayor Bradley contravened the Code of Conduct in the July 13, 2024 email to Coutu, which was cc'd to other councillors and senior staff at city hall, by saying Coutu was "difficult to deal with."
He said council could impose a reprimand or suspension of remuneration for up to 90 days as a penalty for the breach.
"I accept that a comment from the mayor claiming that Mr. Coutu is negative and difficult to deal with – a disparaging statement which the evidence in this case doesn’t corroborate – could easily damage Mr. Coutu’s reputation and professional livelihood," Drory wrote. "That is conduct that should bear a consequence, and Mayor Bradley acknowledged no wrongdoing nor expressed any remorse or regret during this investigation. Based on these factors, I recommend council suspend Mayor Bradley’s remuneration for two days, to publicly express its discontent over what took place."
Drory reiterated in this report that the decision respecting the appropriate sanction to be imposed belongs to council.
Mayor Bradley told Drory after receiving the draft report that he was disappointed the complaint proceeded to an investigation.
"The investigation proceeded on these words, 'Your emails illustrate how difficult you are to deal with.' That’s all folks; that’s the complaint. It is not defamatory. This investigation probably cost thousands of dollars to the taxpayers of Sarnia. It is apparent that Mr. Coutu is trying to prevent myself as mayor of the city from dealing with development issues which relate to himself and his company. As stated by Mr. Coutu, 'I am requesting that Mike Bradley recuse himself from commenting or voting on items with my involvement before council as he does not appear impartial to my endeavours.'"
Bradley said Drory's "failure to get the full story" impacted negatively on the complaint and decision, which he said was "regrettable given the costs to the citizens of Sarnia and to reputations."
Council will consider the recommendations in both reports during its meeting, to be held electronically, at 1 p.m. on October 28.