Ignace council “steps in to protect integrity and rights”

Three members of Ignace council say they have stepped in to “protect the integrity and democratic rights of the community”.

This in a statement to Acadia News this week following inquiries into reports the Ignace’s Mayor, Bill Gascon, has been locked out of the Township’s office and its corresponding property.

No exact reason was provided to media as to why Gascon had been barred. When asked for further information, Mayor Gascon provided ‘no comment at this time’.

An unattributed quote in the release states:

“We want to continue to move forward with one collective voice for Ignace and ensure that community democracy is maintained and restored.”

The release goes on to say Councillors Jodie Defeo, John Taddeo and Kimberly Baigrie have stepped in and taken a stern position to protect and enforce their obligations to protect employees, ensure a safe and healthy working environment, and protect the rights of those individuals.

As elected officials in the Township of Ignace, one of our most important governance priorities as a Council, as a whole, is to ensure the rights of our workers are protected. We are legislatively mandated to do so. As Council members we must also never forget that we were all elected to represent our constituents and ratepayers and that each of us as a Council member holds one vote to ensure our democratic rights of representation on any
issue or decision before us.

A council meeting slated to take place on March 20th was cancelled due to “unforeseen circumstances” on March 17th according to the Township’s website, a social media post made by the mayor states a lack of quorum was the cause.

A special meeting was later held on March 25th.

That meeting went straight into closed session as per seciont 239 (2) (b), (e) of the Municipal Act:
(b) personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees

• Human Resources

(e) litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board

• Legal Matters

The release from the Township states a closed session of council will be held to bring all five members together to “initiate training by professionals about the role and responsibility of Council.”

Acadia Broadcasting has reached out to Mayor Gascon for comment but was given no response.