Fight to dump Carleton Place mayor fans push for recall legislation

In the wake of sanctions against the mayor of Carleton Place for multiple breaches of the town's code of conduct, one resident is calling for recall legislation to help get rid of elected officials.

"What we need is tough legislation so that when politicians get out of hand, the people can recall them," Kory Earle said Tuesday night during a packed meeting where town councillorsvoted to dock Louis Antonakos'spay for the next nine months.

Such legislation exists in British Columbia, where residents can petition for abyelectionto get rid of a sitting memberof the provincial legislature.

Antonakoshas been under firesince therelease of a second damning reportfrom the town's integrity commissioner finding the mayor again breached code of conduct rules.

• Mayor of Carleton Place stripped of pay till end of term
• Call for mayor's resignation caps long, bitter dispute in Carleton Place

On Tuesday night, thesix-member council meted out the only punishmentis has in its arsenal.

Despite multiple calls for his resignation from members of the audience andcouncillors, Antonakoscan't be forced from office.

"You're pretty well in therefor the term," said deputy mayor Jerry Flynn, who supports Earle's efforts to seek provincial help.

"There's so much going on with municipal politics these days, it's really something that should be looked at."

Earle had accused the mayor of bullying and was behind one of the complaints investigated by the integrity commissioner.

As an advocate for people with intellectual disabilities,Earle already has a meeting at the end of the month with officials in Premier KathleenWynne'soffice, where he said he will push forrecall legislation.

'Terrible characters'

The need for some kind of mechanism to recall elected municipal politicians is clear for Toronto lawyer and municipal law expert John Mascarin.

"I think it's a good idea," said Mascarin in an interview this week."It's something they should look at because they're leaving municipal councils as prey to some very terrible characters."

He should know:he's also an integrity commissioner for a number of communities in Ontario.

"It would be a good idea if there was some mechanism for the public to be able to put forward a referendum or a petition, or some other means to say this member should be removed," he said.

Current law 'toothless'

Mascarin describedthe current sanctions as "toothless."

They're primarily limited to a maximum 90-day dock in pay for each transgression.

But Mascarinnotes the province has been reluctant to get involved in local politics.

The issue came up most recently overthe raucous divide on Toronto council during Mayor Rob Ford's tenure.

Wynne hassaid she'd look into the issue of recall, but never moved forward on the issue.

Earle said he'd prefer a mechanism that avoidshuge expenses for the local community that come with a referendum.