Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to get you started on this Wednesday morning.
Montpellier now alleges he was offered a bribe to vote for the KED
A councillor with the City of Greater Sudbury has alleged he was offered a bribe if he supported the Kingsway location for a new arena in 2017. During the weekend, Ward 3 Coun. Gerry Montpellier posted a message on Facebook that said he did not vote on the municipal area’s location due to an “offered financial conflict of interest.” The councillor went on to write that he was “approached in person twice by Mr. A--- on behalf of the developer, and once by Mr. K-- who represented Gateway.” “Being familiar with my business involvement and participation with Ontario and Michigan casinos, both suggested the opportunity to personally profit by supporting the Kingsway location,” he wrote. “This for myself as a city councilor is clearly unethical and cause to abstain.” An archived video recording of city council’s June 27, 2019, meeting shows Montpellier declare a conflict of interest by citing a career in the motorsports entertainment business as his rationale. His full declaration was as follows: “Mr. Mayor, I declare a conflict of interest as I have done twice before regarding this subject. For full transparency, I will elaborate on my reasons for declaring a conflict of interest. Due to my full-time motorsport entertainment business, this decision, either way, will affect my outside of council professional and financial situation.” Sudbury.com, the CBC and the Sudbury Star all reported as much at the time — that Montpellier’s vehicle business could benefit from a motorsports venue, which is why he declared a conflict of interest.
Police say pedestrian stabbed before being intentionally run over this morning
Greater Sudbury Police say an early-morning collision in New Sudbury involving a pedestrian is now being investigated as a homicide. At around 2:30 a.m. Sept. 7, police received a call regarding the collision in the area of Lasalle Boulevard and Notre Dame Avenue. The driver of the involved vehicle fled the scene prior to police arrival. The 30-year-old pedestrian was transported to hospital by paramedics with critical injuries, but was pronounced deceased at the hospital. Police say their investigation has determined that the driver of the vehicle and victim in this incident were involved in an altercation in the parking lot of the gas station at the corner of Lasalle Boulevard and Notre Dame Avenue prior to the collision. It is believed that the man sustained a stab wound prior to being intentionally run over with the vehicle. The involved vehicle, a red four-door Dodge Magnum, was located unoccupied on Mitchell Street. The driver of the vehicle is described as being white, around 6-1 tall, with a medium build and brownish red hair. At the time of the incident he was wearing a black t-shirt with a black and red flannel shirt. Police believe the suspect has changed clothes since the incident occurred.
Kirwan again facing code of conduct reprimand for posts from fake Facebook account
Jessie Timmons appears to be a big fan of Ward 5 Coun. Robert Kirwan and has been posting supportive Facebook messages on the Valley East public group page on Facebook. The only problem is that Timmons is not a real person and is, in fact, a pseudonym of Kirwan’s wife, Valerie. So described City of Greater Sudbury integrity commissioner Robert Swayze, who in a report to city council also noted that Kirwan knew about the posts and is therefore in breach of the city’s code of conduct. Specifically, he was in breach of the requirement that the city’s elected officials “always identify themselves without any attempt to cover, disguise or mislead as to their identity or status as an elected representative of the city when using social media.” Swayze’s report was posted online earlier today in advance of next week’s city council meeting, which is set to take place virtually at 6 p.m. Sept. 14. Kirwan said he will be addressing Swayze’s report when it is presented during Tuesday’s city council meeting and that he plans on drafting a statement to post online before then. For now, he said he’s surprised Swayze would investigate his wife. “It doesn’t matter,” whether he knew about the posts, Kirwan told Sudbury.com. “Does it matter if I’m aware of it? I’m not posting it. It’s not me. It’s my wife. She’s a private citizen. “Mr. Swayze had no right to reveal that information based on the grounds he’s using.”
Round up your Giant Tiger Lasalle purchase to help keep seniors warm extended to Sept. 10
The organizers of the Keeping Seniors Warm want you to know that the annual fundraiser, which helps support 100 seniors with cold weather gear, has been extended for a few days. Originally set to end Sept. 5, you can continue rounding up your purchase at the Lasalle Boulevard Giant Tiger until the end of the business day on Sept. 10. Bev Brisco, executive member of the Keep Seniors Warm committee, said the past year has been tough on all fundraisers. “It has been a terrible year for fundraising,” Brisco said. “Many people have lost their jobs, it has been a horror show for many, and money is really tight right now. Every dollar is accounted for, and it’s difficult for people to donate even $1 at this point.” With the Keeping Seniors Warm event scheduled for Nov. 3, the committee has partnered with Giant Tiger on Lasalle Boulevard for a round-up-your purchase event. Until the end of business on Sept. 10, shoppers can choose to round up to the next dollar amount on their purchase, or they can simply make a donation at the cash register.
Lapointe and Serré announce Laurentian support in shared platform
With Laurentian University top of mind, Greater Sudbury’s federal Liberal candidates pointed to their party’s national platform as evidence the post-secondary institution would receive support. In a media release from Sudbury candidate Viviane Lapointe and Nickel Belt candidate Marc Serré, a Liberal pledge of $240 million over four years to protect post-secondary French-language education in Canada is cited as a potential boon for Laurentian. This pledge, they note, includes “supporting opportunities “Northern Ontario, by, for and with Francophones, in order to counter the cuts that have taken place at Laurentian University and ensure that Francophones have access to post-secondary education of quality where they live.” Further, they note, the plan will “protect public post-secondary educational institutions, such as Laurentian University, from being subject to corporate restructuring.” "Our government has been there for Laurentian with more than $100 million in investments over the past six years,” Serré said in the release. Meanwhile, the NDP has made a lot of promises regarding Laurentian University, none of which Lapointe said are in their official platform. “In fact, the NDP platform does not make a single mention of Laurentian, Sudbury or even the mining industry. Our Liberal government has been there for Sudbury and Laurentian, and the Liberal platform proves we will continue to be there for Sudbury and Laurentian University,”
Humphrey: Conservative plan will make life more affordable
Canadians need life to be more affordable and that’s what the Conservative Party is vowing, Nickel Belt candidate Charles Humphrey has said. Party leader Erin O’Toole recently released his plan to secure a more affordable future for Canadians. “Inflation is at a two-decade high, grocery bills have gone up five per cent, and each trip to the gas station seems to hurt just a little bit more,” said O’Toole. “This is the Canada of Justin Trudeau and the NDP. To lower prices, we need to get inflation under control and ensure there is more competition, not less.” To lower food prices, a Conservative government would increase the maximum penalty for price-fixing from $24 million to $100 million and introduce criminal penalties, including jail time, for executives convicted of price-fixing. The party also vows to bring in a tough code of conduct to protect suppliers and to promote grocery competition. The party’s candidate in Nickel Belt, Charles Humphrey, backs the plan. “Many Canadians working hard to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads,” Humphrey said in a news release. “They need a government that is going to ensure life is more affordable.”
Green candidate Robinson calls Trudeau’s oil sands promise ‘sneaky’
Sudbury Green Party candidate David Robinson isn’t buying what Liberal leader Justin Trudeau is selling when it comes to oil and gas emissions. “Have you heard the latest political joke?” Robinson said in a recent news release. “Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau vowed to make sure oil and gas emissions don’t increase. There is a sneaky promise if I ever saw one.” Robinson said Trudeau promised to cut total emissions by up to 45 per cent by 2030, but the promise doesn’t add up to much. “And all he can say is that dirty fossil fuel producers will not be allowed to expand their emissions? That is insane,” said Robinson, adding Canada is the only G7 country that has seen emissions go up since the Paris agreement, and the expansion of Canada’s oil and gas sector is projected to exhaust up to 16 per cent of the world’s carbon budget. “Trudeau did promise to get the oil and gas industry to ‘net zero’ by 2050,” said Robinson. “But the largest oil sands producers have already committed to reaching net zero by 2050 (so) Trudeau’s big campaign promise adds absolutely nothing.”
High of 18 today and the risk of a thunderstorm
It’s going to be a cloudy Wednesday in Greater Sudbury. There is a 60-per-cent chance of showers today and the risk of a thunderstorm. The winds will blow from the southwest at 30 km/h, gusting to 50. Today’s high is 18, with a UV index of three, or moderate. The clouds will stick around tonight, with a 60-per-cent chance of showers in the evening and again after midnight. There is a risk of a thunderstorm in the early evening, as well. The winds will lighten to 20 km/h and switch to blow from the northwest near midnight. The overnight low is 10.
