The Superior Court of Justice for Ontario has given Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig the all-clear to talk about rapid transit in Waterloo Region.
Justice D.A. Broad released his decision Friday, more than two years after Craig began declaring conflicts of interest on all rapid transit-related matters due to his son owning property near the Ainslie Street bus terminal in Cambridge.
“I’m really pleased,” Craig tells CTV News.
“We were confident we had a good case … and we feel very good about the outcome.”
Craig paid for a portion of his legal expenses in the case personally, but will seek $5,000 from a Region of Waterloo fund meant to reimburse councillors seeking legal opinions on conflicts of interest.
During one day of hearings earlier this month, representatives from the Ministry of the Attorney General declined to make any arguments in support of or opposition to Craig’s position.
North Dumfries Mayor Rob Deutschmann and regional chair Ken Seiling have also both declared conflicts of interest on rapid transit-related matters.
Craig says he hopes his case will spur changes to the provincial Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.
“The whole act is out of date,” he says.
“It’s very difficult for elected officials to understand when and when not to (declare) and how to interpret the policies.”
