THE COURTS & THE CROWN ARE TAKING MAYOR SHANTZ'S MEA CHARGES SERIOUSLY

As I understand it there is a cetain amount of confidentiality involved regarding private sit down discussions with the Crown. That said I am of course all about transparency and accountability. Both of those have been sadly lacking to date in regards to the three incompetents on Woolwich Council who feel that the only authorities they need to keep on board are those at the municipal or regional level. I met with the Crown Prosecuter privately for two and a half hours just before Christmas. It was educational, informative, respectful, two way dialogue with both parties expressing the facts, their opinions and their challenges in regards to this case. It was an astonishingly frank and open discussion between two parties and has quite frankly reinvigorated my confidence that there are excellent people in places of responsibility within our judicial system.

Today in court was a surprise for me. That said the prosecuter did give me a heads up in his office immediately prior to court. I believe that Sandy's defence lawyer was running a little late but nevertheless he also received the same courtesy prior to Sandy's case being openly discussed in court. Sandy's former lawyer Mr. Randall Martin is retiring (Best Wishes!) and her new lawyer is a Mr. Assaf whom I did meet and say hello to.

The Crown has requested an adjournement until February 24/16 (presumably at 9 am.) in Provincial Offences Court but not for the same reason as the previous two. He requested and received this adjournement in order that an outside Crown independently review the charges. Now Mr. Andres (prosecuter) did state that there was not a conflict (?). I suspect that he meant to say conflict of interest although I will state that between one annoying person seated in court constantly squeaking his chair plus people coming and going through the doors behind me as if it was a bus station versus a courtroom; that I may have misheard conflict versus conflict of interest. Regardless I did clearly hear Mr. Andres state that the purpose of an outside Crown would be to make sure that justice would be apparent to all parties.

Also of interest was that the J.P. in charge of the courtroom was the same Justice of the Peace who accepted the ten Municpal Election Act (MEA) charges in the first place, namely Justice Marquette. He did so advise all counsels present of this fact and recused himself from any further dealings with this case. Of interest to me is that in the intervening months he has probably literally dealt with hundreds of cases yet immediately recognized myself and the case itself.

Whether this decision to go to an outside Crown is very recent I do not know. This morning was the very first that I heard of it. Possibly the two and a half hour meeting was a factor, possibly my continued suit and tie presence at all the court dates contrary to any sign of our mayor, or even possibly the very latest information sent on to the Crown prosecuter regarding new undeclared election expenses; I simply do not know. What is giving me hope however is that the Crown are seriously listening, learning and studying this case. I view the sending of it to an outside Crown as a positive development. Afterall let's be blunt here. Mayor Shantz is more than simply a mayor of Woolwich Township; she is also a regional councillor. I applaud this decision today while having no knowledge as to what decision the outside Crown will come to.