'Failed miserably': Court blasts rural Manitoba council for trying to oust elected official
CTV
A Manitoba judge has blasted a rural municipal council for their attempt to kick out a rookie councillor, saying they 'failed miserably' to communicate or compromise, while maing changes they knew would set her up to fail.
A Manitoba judge has blasted a rural municipal council for their attempt to kick out a rookie councillor, saying they 'failed miserably' to communicate or compromise, while making changes they knew would set her up to fail.
Councillors in the southern Rural Municipality of Thompson had tried to oust their fellow councillor Donna Cox back in May 2023 – a move that is being rebuked by Manitoba's highest trial court.
"Generally, communication, collaboration and compromise are hallmarks of good governance; here the Municipality failed miserably," Manitoba Court of King's Bench Justice Chris Martin wrote in his decision released earlier in February.
"Just because the Municipality believed it had a legal right to act as it did, does not mean it was right to do so."
Martin said Cox remains as an elected councillor in the RM of Thompson.
This all started when Thompson councillors had Cox escorted out of the council chambers last spring, saying she was being disqualified – something the province said only the court has the power to do.
The RM had been relying on a section of Manitoba's Municipal Act, which says a councillor is disqualified if they miss three consecutive council meetings or local urban district (LUD) committee meetings without leave.
