Essex Town Council in virtual session, April 19, 2021. Image courtesy Town of Essex/YouTube.Essex Town Council in virtual session, April 19, 2021. Image courtesy Town of Essex/YouTube.
Windsor

Essex councillor claims censorship in investigation of colleague

An Essex town councillor wants comments about the investigation into a colleague's controversial tweets to be entered into public record.

Essex Councillor Sherry Bondy has asked for public comment to be included in the integrity commissioner's investigation of Councillor Chris Vander Doelen's tweets. At the moment, no such comment is on the agenda for the next regular meeting, set for May 17.

In a series of emails shared with Blackburn News by Bondy, Essex town clerk Robert Auger first stated Monday morning that councillors have no jurisdiction over an ongoing investigation by the integrity commissioner.

"If a resident wants their input directed to the appropriate authority, then I think it’s more appropriate for the resident to forward same directly to the integrity commissioner," wrote Auger in the email to Bondy.

Bondy has charged censorship and responded that as far as asking the public for feedback on issues is concerned, a double standard appeared to exist.

"Please tell me who has the right the block correspondence from residents. Council does not need to support the correspondence, but we must receive feedback, favourable or not," wrote Bondy. "These residents have made every effort and, in some cases, have sent twice. Certainly, our administration would not want to block or censor what council or should or not receive. This is not ok."

A subsequent message from Essex Chief Administrative Officer Chris Nepszy suggested that the public response should be placed on the May 17 agenda.

Vander Doelen has been the subject of harsh criticism after tweeting that he had contracted the "Chinese flu" and appeared to make light of having to self-isolate after testing positive for COVID-19. Bondy previously told Blackburn News that she had received over a hundred messages complaining about the tweets.

The councillor has not responded to repeated requests from Blackburn News for comment but Vander Doelen did tell a Windsor radio station last month that he did not intend to offend the area's Asian community.

Vander Doelen did remove one tweet in which he shared incorrect information about the virus' nomenclature, but the tweet referring to the "Chinese flu" remains on his Twitter feed.

He has also refused to apologize and has ignored calls for his resignation.

---with files from Adelle Loiselle

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