Today, Toronto City Clerk, John D. Elvidge, was notified by Paul Wilson, one of the three candidates running for the office of the French language Catholic school trustee, Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir (Ward 4 – Toronto Est), that they are not eligible to hold office.
Under subsection 39(a) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 (MEA), if a certified candidate for an office becomes ineligible to hold that office and another candidate would not be elected by acclamation as a result, then the election shall proceed. As a result, given there are two other candidates on the Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir (Ward 4 – Toronto Est) ballot, the election for that office will continue to take place on October 24. The City Clerk will rely upon their general powers pursuant to section 12 of the MEA to take whatever steps are necessary to administer the election.
The ballots for election day have already been printed and cannot be changed in time for Monday’s election. French language Catholic school trustee, Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir (Ward 4 – Toronto Est) voters can cast their vote for mayor, councillor and trustee on October 24. On election day, notice of the candidate’s ineligibility will be made available to the approximately 3,000 French language catholic school Ward 4 voters in every affected voting place. Any votes cast for Paul Wilson, as well as those already cast during the advance vote and through mail-in voting, will not be counted.
This school board’s Ward 4 boundaries include 11 City of Toronto wards:
To run for elected office, candidates must file a nomination and sign an Acknowledgement of Qualifications affirming they are qualified to be elected and to hold the office shown on the Nomination Paper pursuant to the MEA, Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, R.S.O. 1990, and as applicable, the City of Toronto Act, 2006 or Education Act. Qualifications for candidates to run for this school board are set out in the Education Act in subsections 58.8 (1) and 219 (1).
The City Clerk is authorized under the MEA to rely on the nomination and Acknowledgement of Qualifications provided by a candidate in certifying Nomination Papers. It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure they are qualified to run for the office and to file a complete and accurate Nomination Paper. Certification took place, as required, on August 19.
More information about Toronto’s 2022 municipal election is available on the Toronto Elections webpage.
Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.