Stouffville Mayor Justin Altmann's day in court delayed again
Case challenges council's 'staggering excess of authority,' lawyer says

YorkRegion.com
Aug. 23, 2018
Lisa Queen

Whitchurch-Stouffville Mayor Justin Altmann’s ongoing attempt to have town-imposed sanctions on him lifted has hit another snag.

On Aug. 17, the case could not be heard because there wasn’t an available judge, meaning the matter was rescheduled to Aug. 22.

But Altmann left court Aug. 22 without a decision.

Justice Stephanie Vallee was assigned to the case but, because there were also other cases on the docket, Vallee had no time to deal with Altmann’s issue, which includes reading “voluminous” amounts of information.

The trial co-ordinator is now trying to find another date, with Altmann’s lawyer, Mauro Marchioni, pressing for the case to be heard before the Labour Day weekend, after which campaigning for the Oct. 22 municipal election swings into full gear.

The court delays can be blamed on a lack of available judges at the Newmarket courthouse, which Marchioni called “somewhat troubling.”

However, because Vallee has agreed the case is a priority, he said he’s confident the matter will be heard before the end of August.

The court will determine whether council had the authority to impose sanctions on Altmann recommended by an integrity commissioner. 

In response to a finding that Altmann violating the code of conduct, council in March imposed a number of sanctions, including barring his access to municipal offices and facilities except to pick up council packages or make bill payments at the front desk and attend council meetings and limiting his communication with town staff except by email.

Not only do the sanctions severely limit Altmann’s ability to do his job, he is not allowed to take his baby daughter to a town park, the library, a town pool or ice rink, Marchioni said.

“That’s a staggering, in my opinion, excess of authority,” he said.

“They just went way beyond anything they were allowed to do under the Municipal Act and/or the code of conduct for the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville.”

Altmann said he remains confident the court will find in his favour.

“Justice will prevail,” he said.

“They (councillors) have gone above and beyond what they had the authority to do.”