Gananoque mayor to seek judicial review after pay suspended

Mayor John Beddows says he will seek a judicial review of Gananoque council’s decision to suspend his pay and require a formal apology, following a damning report from the town’s integrity commissioner that councluded he’d committed eight breaches of the municipal code of conduct.

The report, prepared by integrity commissioner Tony Fleming, concluded that Beddows engaged in a pattern of harassment, discriminatory remarks, and aggressive behaviour toward both town staff and fellow councillors. Among the most serious findings: repeated comments about firing the town’s chief administrative officer, sexist remarks, and a heated confrontation over a residential school memorial.

In a statement released Thursday, Beddows said he respects the role of the integrity commissioner and the importance of codes of conduct, but raised “serious concerns regarding procedural fairness and bias” in the investigation process.

“I am committed to ensuring that due process is respected and that all parties are treated fairly,” Beddows said. “The outcome of the judicial review will inform my next steps with respect to the remedial measures approved by council.”

Council’s sanctions followed a months-long investigation that began with 43 formal complaints, 18 of which were investigated, and eight ultimately substantiated in the view of the integrity commissioner.

Fleming’s report highlights multiple inappropriate statements attributed to the mayor. Among them: a remark that women are often promoted above their abilities due to affirmative action, and another suggesting women may not be the best candidates for certain jobs because they might not return to work after having children. Beddows acknowledged making the comments, but claimed they were taken out of context, referring to his military background and physician recruitment discussions.

In another complaint, the mayor allegedly made a sexual joke by asking the town’s former CAO how to find the “G spot.” In the report, Fleming notes that Beddows agreed he’d made the statement, however, explained it was a play on words based on the name of Ganaoque’s security contractor G-Force and its parking spot, by referring to it as “finding the G-(parking) spot.”

Beddows confirmed the comment, calling it a poorly worded pun. Fleming deemed the remark “offensive and not to be tolerated.”

Four separate complaints dealt with Beddows’s comments to the current CAO, including repeated assertions that she could be fired without cause if a sexual harassment claim were filed. The commissioner found these remarks unsettling and damaging to the workplace atmosphere.

Beddows admits making the statement, but said it was made in a hypothetical example of how a CAO could be terminated for cause in such a situation.

The report also outlines an incident on July 11, when Beddows allegedly stood over and yelled at a fellow councillor during a discussion on placing shoes at town hall as a memorial for residential school victims. The mayor admitted the exchange became heated, but said he was offended by a perceived comparison to Remembrance Day. The mayor denies yelling.

There were 10 other complaints considered as part of the report, one of which includes alleged comments made by Beddows that he was the “smartest person” at town hall and telling staff “the only thing I can’t do is breastfeed.”

Fleming found evidence the statements had been made, but determined they didn’t breach council’s code of conduct.

For his part, Beddows said he made the comment about being the smartest, but admits he says this to reflect on his own perceived shortcomings. He said he does not recall making the “breastfeed” comment.

The integrity commissioner report notes a strained relationship between the mayor and staff, but “our overall finding is that the (mayor) has a genuine desire to create a positive working environment, but he struggles with interpersonal relationships,” it reads.

Fleming recommended the report be a reset point for the mayor.