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Luc Cyr wants stop to 'weaponization' of IC process

Pearce urges Elliot Lakers to get involved and vote in the Oct. 24 municipal election
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EDITOR'S NOTE: In an earlier version of this story, ElliotLakeToday incorrectly reported that Ken Young told council five people went to Coun Chris Patrie's home to confront him. Upon reviewing the audio of the meeting, we have confirmed that one person went to Patrie's house, not five and corrected the story accordingly.

A report surfaced at Elliot Lake City Council Tuesday night saying that a person approached by four council members had confronted Coun Chris Patrie promising to lay Integrity Commissioner (IC) charges against him based on information given to them.

Coun. Ed Pearce later made a plea to the voters about the costs of the IC process.

It happened after a candidate for councillor in this month's election, Ken Young, told council he had heard Patrie had been confronted in his own home by a person representing a delegation of city leaders.

"The gentleman informed councillor Patrie that four members of this council called a meeting with the gentleman and asked him to file an IC complaint against him. (Patrie)," Young said before he was cut off.

As chairman of the council meeting, Mayor Dan Marchisella cut Young short, calling the candidate's comment "innuendo" which did not conform to a discussion about a report on IC spending later up for discussion at the meeting. 

In a later discussion, Pearce, who is not seeking re-election, asked the voters to consider their choices in this month's municipal election very carefully. 

"I want the people of Elliot Lake to know how serious this is," he began.

"Think about the people that you elect. Think about the kinds of people that get appointed by the people you elect.

"If you don't get involved, this kind of nonsense happens," Pearce went on. 

Coun. Luc Cyr said he hopes future councils and the citizens all become more aware of the cost that politically weaponizing an IC can have on a community.

He noted the money spent on the IC is one reason why more refurbishment of  Elliot Lake's roads isn't being financed. 

He also said what's been spent on the IC is half of the cost of repairs needed to re-open the municipal  pool

Cyr said, "This is half our pool, you know, I think the IC needs to be used when it needs to be used, but it shouldn't be a political retaliation tool. 

"The one amendment I'd like to see, to add for future annual reports would be just a gross amount of complaints year over year," Cyr went on.

"I think it would it be helpful for the committee to know that we have 500 complaints this year, or did we have 20?" he concluded.

Pearce later said he's been contacted by municipal leaders outside the city who have also had problems with the city's former IC, E4m Solutions, a non-profit based in Sault Ste. Marie.

"Almost every lawyer I've talked to including the current Integrity Commissioner (Robert Swayze) believes that neither Coun. Patrie nor I should have gotten in front of the judge. Simple as that," Pearce continued.

He said E4m's director is the wife of a partner in Sault Ste. Marie's prominent law firm, Wishart Law.

"They have run rampant through communities in Ontario, not just in the north. They've been very, very successful getting money for themselves, and they've damn near bankrupted a couple of small communities," Pearce concluded.

At the meeting, council received a report from Treasurer Amy Sonnenberg which showed city taxpayers have paid $1.45m in legal fees during this council term, from 2018 to the present.

IC costs amounted to $858,644 over the same time frame. What complicates the assessment of the report is that not all the spending is solely related to IC complaints.

Patrie said anyone who wants to know about the unwanted visit to his home shortly after the charges were laid by E4m, is welcome to listen to a tape of the conversation.

"I'd rather take the high road. That's the reason that I didn't produce the tape when it was made. And it was made more than once. I would rather just stay professional. It's done. 

"If the transgressions that were brought to me are true then people know who they are. And I don't want to move forward with it," Patrie continued.

"At least I could have had an investigation done criminally and I didn't do it," he added.

"I would rather keep Elliot Lake as a clean and professional community than start with mudslinging and I just leave it alone. Let's take the high road," Patrie concluded.

Council received the five-year IC spending report from Treasurer Sonnenberg who will produce a similar document next year on 2023 IC spending.



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About the Author: Brent Sleightholm

As a reporter, Brent has covered everything from amateur and professional sports, to politics, entertainment, police and courts, to human interest stories and government issues
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