Councillor thanks police for responding to complaint

At least one Sudburian went too far last winter in expressing their opposition to city council's decision to fire Ontario Ombudsman André Marin as its closed-door meeting investigator.

Ward 12 Coun. Joscelyne Landry-Altmann said she received an extremely upsetting, threatening voicemail in the days after the Feb. 12 decision to dump Marin. The call came after a postcard campaign was launched by the Greater Sudbury Taxpayers Association calling for councillors to reverse their decision.

The public responded by sending in thousands of the postcards, and in the “frenzy” that followed, Landry-Altmann said she and other councillors received a flood of hostile emails and calls.

“Two days later, I received a threatening phone call,” she said Tuesday. “I made a complaint, it was followed up and charges were laid and the nasty emails ceased.
“I just wanted to say thank you. It was very upsetting, but it was addressed and I believe it eased the nasty emails that were going to other councillors, as well.”

In March, Greater Sudbury Police announced that a 48-year-old woman was facing criminal charges for leaving a threatening voicemail for a city councillor, but didn't identify who it was.

The Sudbury woman was charged March 8 with uttering threats and criminal harassment. She was released on a promise to appear, Greater Sudbury Police Chief Frank Elsner said in March.

The police investigation uncovered the fact she had been sending messages to other members of council, as well, Elsner said.

“And there has been some other contact with other members of council, as well, over a period of time.”

Elsner said at the time there’s a false impression among some members of the public that normal rules don't apply when someone is a politician.

“A lot people think because they’re (city) councillors, you can say what you want,” he said. “You can’t. Just because someone holds public office doesn’t allow people to make criminal threats against them.”