Tim Probe pleads not guilty after allegations of vote-trading offer

Tim Probe, a councillor for the rural municipality of Sherwood, pleaded not guilty to two charges at the Court of Queen's Bench in Regina on Monday morning. 

The main evidence presented against Probe in court on Monday morning was a low-quality audio recording of a meeting at a Tim Hortons in Regina in early February 2016.

On the tape, Probe allegedly asked Reeve Jeffrey Poissant, who recorded the conversation unbeknownst to Probe, not to seek restitution for legal fees in exchange for a vote.

Probe had reportedly voted against a Suncor truck stop development due to safety and traffic issues, leaving votes regarding the development project tied. The land for the project belonged to Poissant's parents, so he had recused himself from the vote because of the possible benefit to his family. 

Probe offered to vote in favour of the project to break the tie. In exchange, Poissant would vote against collecting the legal fees from Probe and another councillor that they had racked up in another case and for which they had been reimbursed by the municipality.

Poissant refused and turned his recording of the conversation in to police.

Conflict of interest

Probe was asked to resign from his position based on recommendations from the provincial ombudsman.

He refused to step down, but said he would refrain from attending council meetings. 

Probe and former councillor Joe Repetski were found to have been in conflict of interest during a meeting in January 2016.

Ombudsman Mary McFadyen said Probe and Repetski should have recused themselves from a discussion about the legal fees the two had incurred during R.M. business.

The duo had been reimbursed and the R.M. was looking to recover the money paid to them.

The trial has been scheduled until Wednesday. Court will resume Monday at 1:30 p.m.