UPDATE TO THIS STORY: On Saturday, Oct. 22, the City of Toronto announced that the trustee election for Ward 4 – Toronto Est of Conseil scolaire catholique Mon Avenir is void.
Yesterday, the city had issued a news release that one of the three candidates had been ruled ineligible, while Beach Metro Community News said a second candidate had withdrawn his candidacy.
Saturday’s news release from the city said the Ward 4 – Toronto Est election “is void after determining that an additional candidate is not eligible to hold office. The election for that office will not take place on October 24 and a by-election will be held instead. The Clerk’s decision is based on new information obtained Friday evening (October 21, 2022).”
By ALAN SHACKLETON
A candidate running for trustee in Ward 4 – Toronto Est of the Conseil scolaire catholique Mon Avenir (French Catholic school board) has been ruled ineligible by the City of Toronto just three days before the municipal election is scheduled to take place.
An Oct. 21 news release from the city said Toronto City Clerk, John D. Elvidge “was notified by Paul Wilson, one of the three candidates” running in Ward 4 – Toronto Est that he was ineligible for the office.
“The ballots for election day have already been printed and cannot be changed in time for Monday’s election,” said the city’s news release.
“French language Catholic school trustee, Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir (Ward 4 – Toronto Est) voters can cast their vote for mayor, councillor and trustee on Oct. 24. On election day, notice of the candidate’s ineligibility will be made available to the approximately 3,000 French language Catholic school Ward 4 voters in every affected voting place. Any votes cast for Paul Wilson, as well as those already cast during the advance vote and through mail-in voting, will not be counted.”
Further adding to the confusion for voters in Ward 4 – Toronto Est is that one of the remaining two candidates eligible to run, Salah Rawdat, has announced that he is withdrawing his candidacy.
“The deadline to officially resign was in August. I have ceased actively campaigning and plan to resign if I win on Monday,” said Rawdat in an email to Beach Metro Community News on Oct. 21.
“After learning of the problems the community faces, I feel I will not be able to solve them at this time. The people deserve someone more suited for the work ahead,” he said.
Ward 4- Toronto Est of the Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir makes up most of the geographic area of the entire eastern half of Toronto and includes the wards of Beaches-East York, Scarborough Southwest and Toronto-Danforth among eight others.
Also running for the trustee position in Ward 4 – Toronto Est is Daniel Martin. His profile can be read at https://beachmetro.com/2022/10/19/toronto-votes-2022-ward-4-toronto-est-conseil-scolaire-catholique-monavenir-trustee-candidate-daniel-martin-profile/
According the city’s news release, the election will still take place in the ward since there are two candidates remaining on the ballot after Wilson being ruled ineligible.
“Under subsection 39(a) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 (MEA), if a certified candidate for an office becomes ineligible to hold that office and another candidate would not be elected by acclamation as a result, then the election shall proceed,” said the release.
Today’s announcement comes two days after the City of Toronto said that the election for the French language public school trustee position in the Conseil Scolaire Viamonde (Ward 3 – Centre) is void because one of the only two candidates was ineligible to run. There will now be a byelection held at a date in the future for that trustee seat, the city said.
See Beach Metro Community News’ story on the void election at https://beachmetro.com/2022/10/21/toronto-votes-2022-election-for-french-public-school-board-conseil-scolaire-viamonde-in-ward-3-cancelled-due-to-ineligible-candidate/
“To run for elected office, candidates must file a nomination and sign an Acknowledgement of Qualifications affirming they are qualified to be elected and to hold the office shown on the Nomination Paper pursuant to the MEA, Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, R.S.O. 1990, and as applicable, the City of Toronto Act, 2006 or Education Act. Qualifications for candidates to run for this school board are set out in the Education Act in subsections 58.8 (1)…
“It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure they are qualified to run for the office and to file a complete and accurate Nomination Paper,” said the city’s news release.
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