A Manitoba community has been ordered by the court to cover the legal expenses of a councillor after their attempt to remove him from office failed.
The ruling, made by Justice Colleen Suche of the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench, stated that the community of Piney must pay the legal fees of Councillor Wayne Anderson, who was facing an ouster attempt by the community’s mayor and two other councillors.
The attempt to remove Anderson from office was based on allegations of conflict of interest and improper use of municipal funds. However, the court found that there was no evidence to support these claims and dismissed the case.
In her ruling, Justice Suche stated that the community’s actions were “unreasonable and without merit” and that Anderson was entitled to have his legal fees covered by the community.
Anderson’s lawyer, Robert Tapper, stated that the ruling was a victory for his client and that the community’s attempt to remove him from office was a “witch hunt” fueled by personal vendettas.
The legal battle between Anderson and the community has been ongoing for over a year, with Anderson being suspended from his duties as councillor during the ouster attempt. However, with this ruling, he will now be able to resume his duties and have his legal fees covered.
The community of Piney has not yet commented on the ruling or whether they will appeal the decision. However, Anderson’s lawyer has stated that they will be seeking additional costs from the community for the lengthy legal battle.
This ruling serves as a reminder that elected officials have the right to a fair and just process when facing allegations, and that communities must have valid and substantial evidence before attempting to remove them from office.
