Integrity complaints against Barbour dismissed

An integrity commissioner investigation has dismissed two complaints from Councillor Kathryn Desrosiers that alleged Deputy Mayor Pete Barbour violated the code of conduct for town councillors and had harassed her.

The 5,000-word report did correct a statement that Deputy Mayor Barbour made at a council meeting, suggesting that not just council members but also their family members had to be held to a higher standard of conduct.

The report is part of council’s agenda for its first meeting of the year, on Wednesday, Jan. 14.

The actual investigation was conducted by Benjamin Drory, who had been designated by Integrity Commissioner Michael Maynard to do so on his behalf.

Mr. Drory, as he did in a previous investigation, dismissed the complaints because they had been made by an individual council member, and council as a whole had not voted for an inquiry.

“The allegations raised herein are not investigable, as a matter of jurisdiction. However, I am adding some commentary respecting an erroneous public statement that Deputy Mayor Barbour apparently made, which I hope will assist members of council moving forward.”

For the full story, see the Jan. 14 edition of The Aylmer Express.