A losing trustee candidate for the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board is moving forward with legal action against the board and the Diocese of London.
Eric Renaud said he has asked the City Clerk’s office and the ministries of Education and Municipal Affairs to investigate an alleged violation of the Municipal Elections Act and the potential misuse of public money after a letter was distributed to church-goers in Wards 3 and 4 on the eve of the October 22 municipal election.
Renaud claims the letter clearly targets him for electoral defeat by urging Catholic parishioners to voice their support for his competition.
He adds that the board misrepresented his platform by saying he wants to eliminate publicly funded Catholic education altogether. Renaud said he only wants to merge the administrations of the Catholic and public schools boards in Windsor-Essex while keeping Catholic schools open and continuing to offer religious studies as an option.
He will also be taking his grievance to the Canada Revenue Agency, claiming illegal meddling in the election.
”As tax-exempt charities, the Diocese of London and the board are forbidden from registering as third-party advertisers in municipal elections,” Renaud said.
As part of the process to find out if tax dollars were used for political purposes, Renaud will be filing a Freedom of Information request.
“We need to ensure that no tax dollars were used for political purposes, in particular, legal fees, in putting together and distributing this letter,” said Renaud. “Tax dollars should not be used to interfere with the electoral process.”
The outgoing chair of the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board denied any interference in last week's civic election and added the board will cooperate with any investigation.