Warwick Township Mayor Jackie Rombouts, who’s been public with her support for the anti-restrictions movement, is in more political hot water.
The Lambton County politician faced an investigation by the integrity commissioner for her comments and actions this week surrounding the illegal tractor blockade of Highway 402.
A special council meeting, supposed to focus on fire services, turned hot when the municipal council voted unanimously for a probe.
count. Todd White, who led the charge, said “the best interests of Warwick are not being taken care of at this time.”
Rombouts, who was photographed happily at the Ottawa truck blockade that has flirted with white nationalists and shut down the capital, took credit Monday for getting tractors blocking the highway between London and Sarnia off the road.
“I find it appalling,” White said and added that Rombouts’s recent comments were causing “reputational risk for the community as a whole.”
Rombouts’ opinions don’t reflect the entire community, White said. He was particularly upset that she didn’t call out the highway blockade as an illegal action.
White said it was the second time the integrity commissioner had been called in to look at the mayor and asked that this investigation be “more broad than last time.”
“For clarification, what are you accusing me of?” Rombouts asked.
“For not having the best interests of the township at heart, as we all should as councilors,” White said.
His motion was supported by Coun. Colin Mitchell.
“I do feel as though you have gone rogue,” he said to Rombouts, adding he saw her actions as “wholeheartedly disappointing.
“I think believe you think you’re right, but I also think you chose not to engage with the elected council and acted on your own accord.”
Rombouts said she had nothing to do with the highway blockade, noting she “was not even in the township” when the protest began.
“I believe there is a large portion of the community that supports the convoy. I’m not saying what they did was right,” she said. “In my opinion, denouncing half the population in Canada is not the way to go.”
Also, if the protest was illegal, “the OPP would have gone in and arrested them,” she said.
count. Wayne Morris said he was “not going to get into a witch hunt”, but supported an integrity investigation to see if Rombouts “went outside the line of his job.”
Councilors Jerry Westgate said Rombouts is entitled to his own beliefs. “It’s just when one councilor’s those beliefs are . . . exposing the whole township and council to criticism and not speaking for the whole of council.”
Before council voted, Rombouts said she would “welcome” an integrity commission investigation.
“I have attempted in every interview (to say) this is my opinion and my opinion only,” she said. “I have been very clear I have an amazing council that all has very different opinions and I welcome the fact that they represent different parts of the community.”
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