Barrick slams integrity commisioner’s report

Port Colborne regional councillor David Barrick described Niagara’s integrity commissioner as “Mr. Invisible,” while expressing his disappointment in a report regarding a confidentiality breach by Pelham’s mayor.

“I’ve never spoken to our actual integrity commissioner, Mr. Invisible,” Barrick said, referring to Edward McDermott.

McDermott was not at Thursday’s council meeting to present his report, after investigating allegations that Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn breached confidentiality by providing Ontario Ombudsman with a memo from a lawyer, hired to represent the Region after it unlawfully seized a reporter’s notes and computer.

The Region’s acting clerk AnnMarie Norio said McDermott could not attend the meeting, after recently undergoing surgery.

“I understand that there are health issues now. I get that today, but this was filed in January,” Barrick said.

Although Barrick said he has spoken to the investigator looking into the issue on behalf of McDermott, “at no point when I called the IC’s office, were we able to even get through to this individual who we hired, who we are paying. … This person is just not accessible.”

Despite confirming the allegations, the integrity commissioner report also says Augustyn acted in good faith considering the unique circumstances at the time.

And the report, Barrick added, “doesn’t give me any comfort because the report doesn’t discourage future breaches.

“It’s a little concerning, there’s no deterrent, there’s no discouragement, and there is some significant information missing from the report. I wish the IC or designant was here, so we could have that conversation openly and publicly,” he said.

Barrick said the report should have also been dealt with as an item for consideration, rather than just to receive the report for information.

Although the report recommends against disciplinary action, Barrick said “once a breach has been confirmed, council can consider a reprimand.”

Despite his concerns, Barrick said he was content to accept the report for information.