TOWNSHIP POLITICIANS IN FRONT OF THE COURTS

Todd Cowan the former mayor of Woolwich Township has a respite until June 15/16 before he finds out his fate. Will it be guilty or not guilty in his recent fraud trial? Most of the betting seems to be on guilty but only time will tell. Meanwhile the current mayor of Woolwich has ten outstanding Municipal Election Act charges hanging over her head. The independent, out of town Prosecuter is keeping his cards close to his chest in regards as to whether or not he will be proceeding with prosecution. My understanding is that the two most important criteria are whether prosecution is in the public interest and whether or not the prosecution has a reasonable prospect of conviction. I can't really find much fault with those two criteria although I will add that may be because I feel that on that basis prosecution should proceed. .

Clearly I feel that the public are interested in whether or not their politicians are violating the Municipal Elections Act and secondly whether these violations are primarily incompetence and distraction or whether they did so knowingly and consciously. If the latter I'm not certain whether or not the public want the nitty gritty details as to why they would do so. Wholesale blatant fraud in an attempt to gain a tremendous advantage at the polls by grossly and illegally outspending one's opponents is one thing however attempting more modest and subtle advantages perhaps is less relevant. In the mayor's case to date both declared expenses and undeclared ones do not appear to exceed her maximum allowable expense threshold.

The mayor's next court date is eight days away (Wednesday March 23/16) at 9 am. in Provincial Offences Court, 77 Queen St. Kitchener.