City of Ottawa

[J.OT13]

Chiarelli or another Councillor? Marleau mentioned in his report that another member of Council might have conducted inappropriate actions.

OPP investigating member of Ottawa city council

The provincial police force didn't identify the council member under investigation or the reason for the probe.

Jon Willing
Post Media December 4, 2020

The Ontario Provincial Police is investigating an Ottawa municipal politician.

“In October 2020, the Ottawa police requested the assistance of the Ontario Provincial Police to conduct an investigation into the conduct of a member of Ottawa city council,” OPP spokesman Bill Dickson confirmed in an email Thursday. “An investigation has commenced and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

The OPP didn’t identify the council member under investigation or the reason for the probe. The OPP also didn’t say which unit was in charge of the investigation.

This newspaper has not verified the identity of the councillor under investigation, but the city’s integrity watchdog recently said he referred some matters to authorities in respect to the conduct investigation of Coun. Rick Chiarelli.

According to a report released in November by integrity commissioner Robert Marleau, there was information that came up during the investigator’s interviews that gave the integrity commissioner reason to believe other laws might have been broken. The integrity commissioner wrote in his report that he referred matters to authorities but he didn’t disclose what the information was.

Marleau declined to disclose any more details other than what he wrote in his report, including the authorities he contacted, citing a duty of confidentiality.

Chiarelli’s office said Thursday that the councillor has not been made aware of an OPP investigation.

One area of interest of the investigation, according to people who know about the OPP probe, has been the way the councillor under investigation is alleged to have used outside email services for city business. Only emails that flow through the municipal government’s official email accounts would generally be subject to access-to-information law.

City clerk Rick O’Connor said he couldn’t confirm or deny whether or not the city is cooperating with an investigation outside of the integrity commissioner’s code of conduct investigation when it comes to Chiarelli, citing the section of the Municipal Act that requires people acting under the instructions of an integrity commissioner to preserve secrecy.

Council suspended Chiarelli’s salary in response to findings of conduct violations by the integrity investigation. According to the integrity commissioner’s reports, three women who interviewed for jobs in Chiarelli’s office and two women who worked in his office told investigators that the councillor behaved inappropriately and made sexualized comments.

Chiarelli has denied all allegations and is challenging the integrity commissioner’s jurisdiction in divisional court. He has said the court will hear his application in January.

A 270-day salary suspension was attributed to the complaints from three women who interviewed for jobs in his office and a 180-day salary suspension was in response to the complaints from the former staffers. The salary suspensions run consecutively as of Aug. 14.

Council unanimously asked for Chiarelli to resign. He has refused to step down from his job representing College ward.

[email protected]

twitter.com/JonathanWilling

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/opp-investigating-member-of-ottawa-city-council

[rocketphish]

OPP investigating Coun. Rick Chiarelli: CBC sources
College ward councillor has been subject of 2 scathing integrity commissioner's reports

Joanne Chianello · CBC News
Posted: Dec 04, 2020 2:12 PM ET | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

Ontario Provincial Police are investigating Coun. Rick Chiarelli, according to CBC sources with knowledge of the case.

On Thursday, OPP confirmed in a statement that they're investigating a local elected official, adding that they had been asked by the Ottawa Police Service in October for help looking into the "conduct of a member of Ottawa City Council."

According to that statement, "an investigation has commenced and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time."

CBC has confirmed that Chiarelli is the subject of the investigation. No charges have been laid, and the nature of the investigation, which is thought to be in the preliminary stages, remains unclear.

Chiarelli's office said in an emailed statement late Thursday afternoon that the councillor "has not been made aware of an OPP investigation."

The College ward councillor's behaviour has been the subject of two damning reports from integrity commissioner Robert Marleau.

In his most recent report, Marleau wrote that he had referred some of the information that came to him through his months-long investigation "to the appropriate authorities."

Many of the witnesses who participated in the investigation into Chiarelli's conduct — which the integrity commissioner described as "incomprehensible incidents of harassment" — told CBC that they gave long testimonies to the integrity commissioner.

But only information that was relevant to the formal complaints was included in the report. If the integrity commissioner becomes aware of information that could be in "contravention" of any laws outside his jurisdiction, he is obligated to report it.

Marleau wrote that "on review of the testimony of several individuals," he determined that there were "reasonable grounds" that laws may have been broken over which he has no authority.

"I did not investigate those issues and referred the matters to the appropriate authorities," he wrote.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/opp-investigating-rick-chiarelli-1.5828791

[J.OT13]

So the police gets a $13.2 million increase in this year's budget. Menard asks that a fraction, just $1.2 million from red-light camera revenues, be transferred to social services back to traffic calming, where it's supposed to go in the first place. The Mayor went on a tangent equivalating this slight adjustment to defunding the police.

This is the problem with society. We can't just disagree anymore. Everything amounts to vicious attacks and exaggerations. And it's not just Watson vs his urban colleagues, but the some of the urban caucus members also go too far at times. The same can be said at any level of Government anywhere in the world.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...budget-this-has-not-been-an-easy-process

Later, Watson performed some political acrobatics by giving Luloff chair of the community and protective services, against McKenney and moving the Deputy Mayor title from Luloff to Sudds, thus preserving the suburban domination of FEDCO.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/coun-jenna-sudds-appointed-deputy-mayor

[Proof Sheet]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

This is the problem with society. We can't just disagree anymore. Everything amounts to vicious attacks and exaggerations.

Well said. This is why I don't participate in Twitter, Facebook etc. Keyboard warriors ranting and saying nasty things w/o any backup and usually saying things to people that they would never say face to face.

[JayBuoy]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

This is the problem with society. We can't just disagree anymore. Everything amounts to vicious attacks and exaggerations. And it's not just Watson vs his urban colleagues, but the some of the urban caucus members also go too far at times.

Care to share any examples of our urban councillors going too far?

[phil235]

Originally Posted by JayBuoy

Care to share any examples of our urban councillors going too far?

Here's a recent exchange where Watson makes a completely non-contentious ask for OSEG to make a commitment to keep the teams at Lansdowne:
https://twitter.com/ShawnMenard1/status/1334510190562074624

Menard creates utterly needless conflict by accusing Watson of taking credit for his "work". The work he is referring to is coming up with the idea to ask OSEG to keep the teams around. Except that Menard took the idea from GCA consultations on the matter. Also, it's just an idea, and not a particularly good one.

This is only a recent example of political posturing that makes it virtually impossible for them to work collaboratively.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by phil235

Here's a recent exchange where Watson makes a completely non-contentious ask for OSEG to make a commitment to keep the teams at Lansdowne:
https://twitter.com/ShawnMenard1/status/1334510190562074624

Menard creates utterly needless conflict by accusing Watson of taking credit for his "work". The work he is referring to is coming up with the idea to ask OSEG to keep the teams around. Except that Menard took the idea from GCA consultations on the matter. Also, it's just an idea, and not a particularly good one.

This is only a recent example of political posturing that makes it virtually impossible for them to work collaboratively.

There are plenty of other examples like this with Menard. He doesn't seem to be an easy person to work with.

[ars]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

There are plenty of other examples like this with Menard. He doesn't seem to be an easy person to work with.

Having had to deal with Menard while I was studying at Carleton, this is an understatement.

He has good ideas once in a while but he's too much of an ideologue to have good working relationship with. It's always his way or the highway, no compromise.

[Jayday23]

interesting insights

[phil235]

Originally Posted by Jayday23

This comment seems particularly rich considering what kind of sycophant Watson is. You got the saying wrong, its Watson's way or the high-way. No compromise.

Both of those comments can be true. But no one would ever accuse Watson of being an ideologue. He's about as middle of the road as they come.

Don't get me wrong, his treatment of the urban constituency is infuriating. But Menard's constant sniping is not an effective way to get things done. Nor is his complete lack of consultation the way to represent his ward.

Menard has done lots of good things, like bike lanes and speed reductions. But to then take credit for ensuring that the Redblacks and 67s stay in town after having participated in a decade-long campaign to stop the renovation of the sports facilities? That my friend is truly rich.

[J.OT13]

We have ourselves a new Auditor General.


https://twitter.com/MathieuFleury/status/1339950703637360644

[DEWLine]

A change of auditor-general might be a good thing right now.

[J.OT13]

Jon Willing
@JonathanWilling

No shocker with new committee appointments. Nominating/fedco committees vote Cloutier and Sudds to join planning committee. Options were Cloutier, Sudds and Menard. #ottpoli

Scott Moffatt
@ScottMoffatt21

Replying to
@JonathanWilling

I think all Committees could be structured with mandatory membership from 3 urban Councillors, 3 suburban and 1 rural. The other four spots could be at large. Most committees aren’t far off from this now except for Planning and FEDCO. Environment is heavily tilted to urban.

9:05 PM · Feb 2, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

https://twitter.com/ScottMoffatt21/status/1356785768140742659

[J.OT13]

Well that's disappointing. The City changes names of streets and landmarks willy-nilly, but this can't go forward.

[GeoNerd]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Well that's disappointing. The City changes names of streets and landmarks willy-nilly, but this can't go forward.

Considering we have an airport, buildings, statue, and a parkway named after someone who committed atrocities/genocide against indigenous Canadians. I think we have bigger fish to fry than changing the name of Trump Avenue (a small residential street) because half of us disagree with his politics in another country.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by GeoNerd

Considering we have an airport, buildings, statue, and a parkway named after someone who committed atrocities/genocide against indigenous Canadians. I think we have bigger fish to fry than changing the name of Trump Avenue (a small residential street) because half of us disagree with his politics in another country.

It's more than just politics. The narcissistic maniac tried to overturn democracy.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by GeoNerd

Considering we have an airport, buildings, statue, and a parkway named after someone who committed atrocities/genocide against indigenous Canadians. I think we have bigger fish to fry than changing the name of Trump Avenue (a small residential street) because half of us disagree with his politics in another country.

Yes, we should have just let the United States take over all of North America. We would have all been so much better off including indigenous populations.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

It's more than just politics. The narcissistic maniac tried to overturn democracy.

I am not taking a position on the renamings, but regardless of how odious Trump was, his influence on Canada was miniscule (almost nil?) compared to John A. Macdonald.

[J.OT13]

The argument against Trump Avenue is that its a relatively recent street (less than 25 years) and he's proven over the last 5 years (and his entire life really) that he's the absolute scum of society.

It's true that the traitorous garbage has had less impact on Canadian society, but he made some decisions that undermined the long standing relationship between the U.S. and Canada, and the World.

Changing the name of this one street We can erase him from our City with no impact or controversy.

John A. requires a long, complicated conversation. His policies were racist and he was no stranger to corruption, but he also had positive accomplishments. Canada would not be where it is today, for better or worse, without John A. I think it was a mistake to continue naming things after him up until very recently, and that can be part of that broader conversation.

In any case, the City has the power to change the name of Trump Avenue, but nothing within the City's jurisdiction is named for John A. (as far as I know).

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

The argument against Trump Avenue is that its a relatively recent street (less than 25 years) and he's proven over the last 5 years (and his entire life really) that he's the absolute scum of society.

It's true that the traitorous garbage has had less impact on Canadian society, but he made some decisions that undermined the long standing relationship between the U.S. and Canada, and the World.

Changing the name of this one street We can erase him from our City with no impact or controversy.

John A. requires a long, complicated conversation. His policies were racist and he was no stranger to corruption, but he also had positive accomplishments. Canada would not be where it is today, for better or worse, without John A. I think it was a mistake to continue naming things after him up until very recently, and that can be part of that broader conversation.

In any case, the City has the power to change the name of Trump Avenue, but nothing within the City's jurisdiction is named for John A. (as far as I know).

I don't care either way but I can appreciate the argument that the city shouldn't have streets named for (1) foreign (2) asshole leaders.