Resident resigns from town committee over foul language allegation

Town council discussed controversy investigation as resident resigns from town's licensing committee.

A member of the town’s licensing committee has resigned amid controversy of an integrity commissioner’s report into a complaint over language the member allegedly used in relation to town staff.

The investigation from Principles Integrity came before town council last Monday night and states that the person started sharing concerns about municipal operations to town staff at a public open house Oct. 9, 2025. The person was accused of becoming agitated with town staff and eventually “began using inappropriate and derogatory language” towards the CAO, at one point the claim being he called her a “f***ing b**ch.”

“The video surveillance recording shows that the respondent was at points agitated, waving his arms around as he interacted with the staff member,” the report states.

The report added that the respondent later left a voicemail for one staff member he spoke to and apologized “if I took it too far” but “he has never reached out to the CAO to retract his expletive name-calling.”

While if the person was a regular member of the public, the incident “may have been written off as an unfortunate event in the day of Town staff” but as a committee member, there are higher standards to follow.

“If the respondent had simply been a member of the public and came up in the matter that he did, there would be no ability or application of the Code of Conduct,” Atwood told town council.

Janice Atwood from Principles Integrity noted that even with the Code of Conduct, there is a “basic decency” to treat people with respect.

Mayor Michael Prue read a brief letter of resignation from the individual prior to Atwood speaking, with Atwood learning of the resignation at that moment.

Councillor Peter Courtney believed it was a “far reaching” report and questioned the interviews with people in the group the respondent is part of. It was stated in the report the CAO was invited to speak to the group, but said she was unable to as it was “outside of her role.”    Courtney asked Atwood about annual reports from the integrity commissioner, noting former integrity commissioner Bruce Ellman did provide them, with Atwood acknowledging they were overdue and that a report would come to Amherstburg town council “in the next couple of months.”

The report itself cost nearly $5,000 to complete, Atwood said, as it was originally filed last October.

Councillor Diane Pouget said she has been on town council for 18 years and items such as that were always dealt with in-camera.

“Why was this one different?” she asked.

Pouget said the group is one that is “very proactive” and informed.

“I attend all of their meetings and they are good, honest people who want the best for Amherstburg,” said Pouget. “This really sheds a bad light on this group of people.”

Pouget also questioned whether this was “retaliation” for a sibling and spouse of a council member being asked to leave one of the group’s meetings.

Atwood said the investigation was “very focused” and stemmed around the issue of what occurred Oct. 9, 2025.

Tensions rose in the council chambers when members of the public wanted to speak to the matter, with the town’s procedural bylaw requiring unanimous approval from town council to allow speakers from the floor if they were not on the agenda. At one point, Prue threatened to eject people from the meeting if they would not stop speaking from the gallery. A motion to allow speakers failed due to a lack of seconder.

“It has been dealt with,” said Prue. It failed from the get-go,” he told the crowd.

“I think this report speaks for itself and I think it’s incumbent upon this council to let the community know we heard it, we are taking it seriously and we’re acting on the recommendations,” said Councillor Don McArthur.

McArthur’s motion, passed by council, calls for the receipt and confirmation of the integrity commissioner’s findings, that council denounces the findings described in the report as inconsistent with the town’s Code of Conduct and the expectations of committee members, that council acknowledges the resignation of the person from the licensing committee and that council indicate its support of the integrity commissioner’s recommendation for removal.

McArthur’s motion passed 5-2 with Pouget and Courtney opposed. Courtney said no further action was needed because of the member’s resignation.

“I think it’s a given that this will be not tolerated moving forward,” said Courtney, saying “it’s a done deal” with the resignation.

Pouget added she would not support the motion and would only support receiving the integrity commissioner’s report.

“I still think it’s a witch hunt,” she said.

Resident resigns from town committee over foul language allegation

By Ron Giofu