Pay fine and write apology or resign by Sunday, P.E.I. minister tells Murray Harbour councillor
The provincial minister responsible for municipalities on Prince Edward Island has told a Murray Harbour councillor he'll have to resign by Sunday if he doesn't comply with sanctions levied against him.
Minister of Housing, Land and Communities Rob Lantz released a statement on Thursday after reviewing the circumstances around John Robertson's case.
"Mr. Robertson's failure to cooperate with the sanctions placed on him by the Rural Municipality of Murray Harbour, or show any indication of intent to comply, is contrary to the code of conduct regulations of the Municipal Government Act," Lantz wrote.
On the weekend of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation this past September, passers-by noticed that a sign on Robertson's property contained the messages: "Truth: Mass Grave Hoax" and "Reconciliation: Redeem Sir John A's Integrity."
That led some community members, Murray Harbour Terry White, and Abegweit First Nation Chief Roddy Gould Jr. to call on the councillor to resign.
As well as being a councillor, John Robertson was Murray Harbour's chair of maintenance of infrastructure. (Village of Murray Harbour)
"I'm sorry for people who felt upset or hurt by what was on the sign," Robertson said in October. "I hope it is an opportunity for us all to learn."
In the past few years, First Nations across Canada have located evidence of the remains of more than 2,300 children in suspected unmarked graves at or near former residential schools and Indian hospitals. That's according to a report from the independent special interlocutor for missing children and unmarked graves and burial sites associated with Indian Residential Schools that was released earlier this year.
Robertson's fellow councillors voted in late November to sanction him for breaching the municipality's code of conduct bylaws. As well as suspending Robertson for six months, effective Nov. 18, they voted to tell him to pay a $500 fine and write a letter of apology.
The controversial sign on property owned by John Robertson over the Sept. 30 weekend. (Harry Vanden Broek)
He did neither, so the council asked Lantz's office to conduct a review of the case, using the process set out in the Municipal Government Act.
"We recognize this situation has been difficult for the Rural Municipality of Murray Harbour, Mayor White, council, and the chief administrative officer," Lantz's statement said. "On behalf of government, I thank them for their diligence and leadership."
