Gananoque Mayor seeks judicial review over Integrity Report sanctions

Gananoque Council also suspended his pay for 80 days

In light of the recent accusations and results from the Integrity Commissioners report, Gananoque Mayor John Beddows is now seeking a judicial review of Council's decision.

In a post to the Mayor of Gananoque 2022-2026 Facebook page, Beddows issued a statement saying quote, "I have the utmost respect for the purpose of Codes of Conduct and the role of the office of Integrity Commissioner in upholding accountability and transparency."

"However, I assert that the manner in which the complaints in question were handled raises serious concerns regarding procedural fairness and bias. As someone who values the principles of integrity, transparency and good governance, I believe it is essential that these processes be conducted in a fair and impartial manner. It is for this reason that I intend to seek a judicial review of Council’s decision."

"I am committed to ensuring that due process is respected and that all parties are treated fairly. The outcome of the judicial review will inform my next steps with respect to the remedial measures approved by Council."

Beddows ended his quote saying, "My focus remains on serving the community with transparency and accountability, and I trust that a review by the Courts will help clarify the path forward."

Following a recent Gananoque Town Council meeting on May 20th, Beddows was ordered to provide a written apology to Town staff following an Integrity Commissioner’s report detailing harassment, discriminatory comments, and aggressive behaviour. Gananoque Council also suspended his pay for 80 days.

No further details have been provided and myFM will provide further details on this story. myFM has reached out for comments from the Mayor but there has been no response.

Story by Tim Baltz