The mayors of Russell Township and Casselman have been cleared following investigations by the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) Integrity Commissioner.
Complaints were received by Integrity Commissioner Jean-Jacques Lacombe on November 1, 2023. The complainant is not named in the investigation, but Lacombe’s investigation reports indicate the complaint centres on a verbal exchange at the August 24, 2023, UCPR council meeting. The exchange involved Russell Township Mayor Pierre Leroux and Casselman Mayor Geneviève Lajoie and an individual making a presentation to council. The individual was requesting improvements with how the regional government communicates with its residents.
The agenda and minutes of the August 24, 2023, UCPR council meeting indicate that Russell Township resident Rhonda Bradley appeared as a delegation to council that day and presented her request, related to enhancing the UCPR’s communication and engagement with residents.
According to the reports in Lacombe’s investigation, based on the public discussion between the complainant and council following the presentation, the complainant alleged Leroux breached the Code of Conduct by engaging in disrespectful conduct, collusion to discredit, breach of confidentiality, misquoting statements, and failure to provide information requested. The complainant alleged that Lajoie engaged in disrespectful conduct towards the presenter and was involved in collusion with Leroux to discredit the presenter.
Lacombe found that the grounds of the complaint which alleged that Leroux’s conduct was disrespectful were not valid and found there was no foundation to the claim that he breached confidentiality, nor did he fail to provide information requested by the complainant.
As for the allegation that Leroux and Lajoie colluded to discredit the presenter, Lacombe found no evidence that the two mayors had colluded. Lacombe also concluded that Lajoie did not behave disrespectfully towards the complainant.
On January 24, UCPR council voted to receive the Integrity Commissioner’s investigation reports. Neither Leroux, Lajoie, or any other mayor commented on the reports during the meeting.
