Minister mum on Whalley case
The province’s minister of municipal affairs says he won’t weigh in on the ongoing civil trial involving the CBRM and its former economic development manager while the matter is before the courts.
Chuck Porter was asked about the trial Thursday during a post-cabinet conference call and scrum with reporters.
John Whalley is suing the Cape Breton Regional Municipality for constructive dismissal, alleging that when the port of Sydney file was removed from him he was assigned another file with no budget and no council approval.
Specifically, Porter was asked about evidence introduced Wednesday that Mayor Cecil Clarke had signed a document agreeing to lease property to McKeil Marine and assuming any environmental liabilities associated with the property two months before the agreement was voted on by council. In testimony Thursday, current CAO Marie Walsh said the signed letter would not be enforceable because all agreements need two municipal signatures and the approval of council.
“This is before the courts, I’m not going to comment further on that, we will not have any impact on how that decision comes to a conclusion,” Porter said.
The minister was pressed about any concerns that he may have on the process or whether his department had earlier received any information indicating whether a contract had been entered into outside of the authority granted the mayor under the Municipal Government Act. He repeated his refusal to comment while it is an active court matter but added he is following the case in the media.
Porter said, to his knowledge, the department hadn’t received any complaints about Clarke’s conduct.
The trial began Monday.