Hawkesbury town council has received a report into wrapping up a harassment complaint filed against former Mayor Paula Assaly in April of 2022.
On Monday, February 13, attorney Patrice Cormier publicly delivered his report, determining actions taken by Assaly had constituted a contravention of the Code of Conduct for Members of Council and that sanctions for those actions are necessary. Those sanctions are that Assaly must submit a written apology to the complainant and that a letter of reprimand will remain documented in Assaly’s file. Assaly was defeated in the 2022 municipal election by current Mayor Robert Lefebvre.
According to Cormier’s report, on May 17, 2022, Hawkesbury Integrity Commissioner Jean-Jacques Lacombe requested Cormier to discern if the code had been violated and if sanctions were necessary. To make this determination, Cormier reviewed past reports prepared by municipal integrity commissioners and investigators involving the former mayor. Those reports are the ones prepared by former Integrity Commissioner John Saywell on December 31, 2020, a report prepared by Integrity Commissioner Pro Tem Valerie McGarry on August 20, 2021, a further report prepared by McGarry on September 26, 2021, and a report prepared by attorney Sophie Martel on March 24, 2022.
Based on his investigation of the past reports, Cormier concluded there was a contravention of the Code of Conduct and the letter of apology to the complainant and letter of reprimand were necessary.
Cormier provided no additional comments to council after delivering his report. No members of council asked questions or made comments about the report either. Councillor Raymond Campbell moved to receive the report and the motion was seconded by Councillor André Chamaillard.
