Sudbury city councillors want public inquiry into harassment allegations

Sudbury city councillors Michael Vagnini and Gerry Montpellier want a public inquiry into harassment allegations made against them last spring.

The Sudbury Professional Firefighters Association first filed the complaint with the city in March, alleging that former fire chief Trevor Bain was being harassed.

In October, the Ministry of Labour ordered the city to launch an investigation into the allegations, with a deadline of December 15. The ministry recently extended that deadline to March 1.

But on Monday,Vagnini and Montpellier filed a motion with the city to stop the investigation, and bring it out into the open.

Public has a right to know, councillors say

"What I would like to do, is when it comes time for me to answer my questions with regards to this, I want to be in the chamber with live streaming, and questions where the public will be able to watch," Vagnini said in a news conference on Tuesday.

The councillors argue that because they are public figures, taxpayers and constituents have a right to know what's going on with the investigation.

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Montpellier says a public inquiry would also be cheaper than the private firm the city hired to conduct the investigation.

"It could've been somebody hired locally. Could've been a local judge, lawyer, labour negotiator, arbitrator could've been anybody," he said. "The Ministry of Labour never insisted that it's this private firm from Toronto, at a start rate of 50 thousand taxpayer dollars."

The city has said the exact price tag for the investigation is unknown, but it doesn't expect it to cost that much.

'We don't know what's going on'

Both councillors also raised concerns that the investigation is being conducted "behind closed doors."

"I will say he is a secret invisible investigator, because he has not contacted me in any way shape or form," Montpellier said.

"However, customers in my family owned business have alerted me unusual personal inquiries have come up from someone who was quite evasive about their identity and reasons for inquiry."

Montpellier declined to comment further on the nature of those inquiries. Vagnini added that his Facebook and email accounts appear to have been recently compromised.

"It might be a little bit of paranoia, but we don't know what's going on because we haven't really been told," he said.

City complying with ministry order

In a statement, Mayor Brian Bigger said the city is working to comply with the ministry's order to investigate, under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).

"We take our responsibility under this Act seriously and we are fully complying with the orders. Not doing so would mean that the City of Greater Sudbury would be in violation of the OHSA, and subject to fines and penalties," Bigger said.

"Out of respect for all involved and the ongoing work that is necessary to comply with the Ministry's orders, it would be inappropriate to comment further."

Kris Volpel, president of the Sudbury Professional Firefighters Association, also declined to comment out of respect for the investigation.

The motion from Vagnini and Montpellier will be heard at the next council meeting, on January 9.