A Sudbury councillor has been charged with bribery after allegedly accepting a $2,000 payment from an undercover police officer posing as a construction company.
The sudbury recent news is a story about how Sudbury Councilor Explains Bribery Confusion.
The battle over the future of the Kingsway Entertainment District is still raging. Ward 3 Councillor Gerry Montpellier stated that one of his recent Facebook postings was misunderstood by the media, and that he was given a bribe to promote the KED project. He has now explained that this was not the case and that his comments had been misinterpreted.
The municipal council has declared that the KED property would be the site of the new event center, which will include a casino, a hotel, and an arena. However, some members of the public and councilors feel that the location is unsuitable for the new facility and have suggested that the current downtown arena on Elgin Street be renovated instead.
Misunderstanding
Mr. Montpellier stated in a recent statement that one of his recent Facebook postings on why he did not vote at the last council meeting was the source of the misunderstanding. In the aforementioned post, he claims that he was contacted by two officials from Dario Zulich, the guy who suggested the KED site, and Gateway Casinos & Entertainment to discuss the benefits of the KED location.
The councilor said that he did not vote at the last meeting since he owned a business in that area that would profit from KED’s growth. He thinks he shouldn’t vote for the site since it may lead to a conflict of interest. Mr. Montpellier further said that the individuals who contacted him did not offer him a bribe, but rather presented him with facts.
Following accusations of possible bribery, Greater Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger said that the charges were serious. He also believes the councilor should call the police to conduct an investigation. The councilor said in a recent interview that he is open to any kind of inquiry.
KED’s Most Recent Input
Sudbury municipal councilors stated their current opinions on the KED project at the beginning of September. Mr. Montpellier believes that the KED project should be postponed until this or the next council, when all facts have been given and considered. Ward 2 Councilman Michael Vagnini thinks that the proposal should be placed on hold until the unprecedented crisis has passed, and that the city should focus on smaller initiatives instead, given the current economic scenario’s instability.
Ward 1 Councillor Mark Signoretti voiced his reservations about the KED site since the proposed arena will be close to the Sudbury Landfill Site. He also said that the city would be making a big mistake by choosing the site. The council will be informed on the project again next month and will address certain issues such as timing.
Online Petition in Opposition
Patrick Crowe, a vocal opponent of the KED site, started an online petition at the end of August to gather signatures opposing the site and force a referendum. His concern about the site is that it would be difficult to reach for people who do not have access to a vehicle, and it would be a non-sustainable company on the outskirts of town. Around 2,300 people signed the petition.
Source: CBC, September 13, 2021, “No Kingsway Entertainment District bribes, says Sudbury councilor.”
The sudbury liberal candidate is a member of the Sudbury city council. He discusses why he believes that the bribery law in Ontario is confusing and how it might be better to have a federal law.
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