Newly released court documents obtained by CBC News on Friday have revealed that Justin Towndale, the current mayor of Cornwall, Ontario, and seeking a second term, raised concerns about his main competitor, Sarah Good’s, past campaign filings. These concerns led to a legal process that put Good’s candidacy at risk.
Earlier this week, the City of Cornwall disclosed that someone had raised issues regarding Good, a one-term councilor running for the mayor’s position in the city with a population of approximately 47,000. On the day candidates needed to submit their nomination papers, it was brought to the city’s attention that Good had failed to include an auditor’s report in her financial documents from her successful 2022 council seat run.
Under the Municipal Elections Act in Ontario, this omission could have rendered Good ineligible for the current election. Towndale informed Denise Labelle-Gélinas, the municipal elections lead, that Good had allegedly received over $10,000 in contributions during the 2022 election without submitting an auditor’s report.
Labelle-Gélinas had already approved Good’s nomination but was prompted to review her 2022 election file due to Towndale’s inquiry. The city sought guidance from a local Superior Court judge to determine if Good was required to provide an auditor’s report and if penalties should be imposed on her under the act.
Justice Julie Bergeron ruled later that day that there was no default in Good’s candidacy, ensuring her eligibility to run for mayor. However, Bergeron expressed concern over the delay in seeking the court’s decision, given that the concerns were raised a month prior.
In response, Towndale released a statement clarifying that he did not act with malice when raising the issue and only sought answers after being informed by others about the missing auditor’s report. He explained his decision-making process and emphasized that his actions were not intended to harm Good. Towndale expressed respect for the court’s decision and wished Good success in the election.
Aside from Good and Towndale, Art Levert and Nicole Spahich are also candidates in the mayoral race in Cornwall. Online voting commences on Oct. 12, with the election day scheduled for Oct. 26.