Former councillor Bill Armstrong has filed an application to appeal a decision of the city’s compliance audit committee, which chose not to investigate Counc. Shawn Lewis’ 2018 municipal campaign expenses two months ago.
Lewis and city hall's compliance audit committee are named in court documents filed by Armstrong, who was defeated by Lewis in Ward 2 during last fall’s municipal election,
Armstrong is asked if this is sour grapes?
“No, this is not sour grapes. This is about following the Municipal Elections Act. It’s about following the law," he says.
Amstrong wants a judge to order city hall to hire an auditor to look into Lewis' campaign.
He makes about 20 different allegations against Lewis - ranging from ordering mobile signs before the campaign period to not declaring shared office space in a building with mayoral candidate Paul Paolatto.
“If we allow these kinds of things to happen in our electoral process it begins to erode our confidence in government,” Armstrong says.
Lewis denies any Elections Act violations and provided a response to city hall's compliance audit committee back in July, addressing each of Armstrong's allegations at the time.
Lewis says that Armstrong is attempting to “weaponize” the compliance audit process and that the complaint has no merit.
