Rick Chiarelli returns to city council
Joanne Chianello | CBC News | Posted: November 6, 2019 2:58 PM | Last Updated: November 7, 2019
Councillor entered city hall surrounded by family Wednesday morning
After lying low for almost three months as allegations of inappropriate behaviour poured in, Coun. Rick Chiarelli showed up to council Wednesday morning, ending speculation for now that the embattled councillor would vacate his seat.
Chiarelli entered city hall through the Lisgar Street entrance with his wife, one of his daughters and his brother, then quietly took his seat at the council table just before the 10 a.m. meeting began.
The councillor's father was also seated in the audience before the meeting, where the city's 2020 draft budget will be tabled.
Technically, Chiarelli doesn't have to reappear at council until February to keep his job.
Chiarelli hasn't been seen in his public role as College ward city councillor since mid-August.
In September, CBC reported that a job applicant said Chiarelli asked her inappropriate questions of a sexual nature, including whether she'd be comfortable not wearing a bra to work events.
More allegations followed, including that Chiarelli took one employee to a bar in Montreal to try to pick up men as volunteers, and drove another to a strip club in Gatineau to spy on another councillor.
In all, 13 women spoke to CBC, describing inappropriate behaviour from the councillor either at work or in job interviews.
Chiarelli has denied all allegations, and in a personal statement, said the allegations were politically motivated and a product of "mob mentality."
Statement repeats denial
In a statement handed out to journalists at the start of the meeting by a staff member, Chiarelli repeated his Oct. 3 statement "categorically denying the allegations."
- Chiarelli pens denial, blames allegations on 'mob mentality'
- ANALYSIS | Let's take a closer look at Chiarelli's denial
The city's integrity commissioner is investigating a number of formal complaints made against the longtime councillor.
Chiarelli's lawyer told CBC that he plans to apply for a judicial review to challenge the authority of the integrity commissioner to investigate the complaints against him, but no application appears to have been filed yet.
In his statement Wednesday, Chiarelli said he's moving forward with an application for a review and intends to argue that the allegations against him should be adjudicated before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, not by the city's integrity commissioner.
He also said that because he's moving ahead with the review, he "cannot discuss" the allegations against him, although he adds that he's "looking forward to answering all questions and providing his own information and questions in the proper forum."
Clock reset
Under Ontario's Municipal Act, a councillor cannot miss council for more than three months without permission.
But Ottawa's council took the unprecedented step of refusing that permission, denying his request for a leave of absence despite the fact the councillor produced three different medical notes.
To keep his job, he had to show up to council by the end of this month.
And in order to be considered in attendance, Chiarelli simply had to sit in his seat at the council table and his presence noted by the deputy clerk.
Now that he has appeared, he only has to show up to council once more before the end of February to reset the clock on keeping his $105,000-a-year job.
Chiarelli 'will do as much as he can'
The councillor said in his statement that he "will continue to address medical concerns. As he improves, he will do as much as he can to address some and eventually, when he is able to return full time, he will fulfil all of his job expectations for the people of College ward."
In September, council assigned councillors Scott Moffatt and Allan Hubley to help the residents of College ward in Chiarelli's absence. It's unclear whether that arrangement will continue.