Patrick Brown is juggling mayoral duties with Conservative leadership bid

Conservative Celebration management hopeful Patrick Brown has not formally stepped again from his mayoral duties nearly a month after getting into the occasion’s management race.
Brown, who has served as Mayor of Brampton, Ont., since 2018, introduced his intention to run for the management of the Conservative Celebration of Canada on March 13.
He stated he would donate his present wage to charity however has not taken a depart of absence from his function as mayor. There are not any guidelines that stop Brown from juggling his function as mayor with different commitments.
“I feel the rule ought to be that you simply do take an unpaid depart,” stated Duff Conacher, the co-founder of Democracy Watch, an advocacy group centered on authorities accountability and democratic reform, in an interview with World Information.
Conacher stated Brown’s scenario was not significantly completely different than that of his rival, Pierre Poilievre, who’s campaigning to steer the occasion whereas sitting as a member of Parliament.
Two lately appointed deputy mayors are filling in for Brown in Brampton on an advert hoc foundation.
“I feel we’re going to need to play it by ear,” Coun. Martin Medeiros informed World Information. “My understanding is that Mayor Brown will nonetheless take part in conferences.”
Brown has not introduced he’ll step again from his function however one other southern Ontario mayor has.
Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman stated he would take an unpaid depart of absence beginning March 29 to accommodate his marketing campaign to characterize the Ontario Liberals at Queen’s Park.
“I’m obtainable to Metropolis workers and Members of Council, as wanted, to make sure continuity on key recordsdata,” Lehman wrote in a be aware to town clerk on March 7 confirming his depart of absence.
Conacher stated individuals ought to “not go with out having somebody to name” when politicians marketing campaign for brand spanking new roles. He urged council appoint interim replacements to make sure continued illustration for voters.
An image Brown posted on Twitter on March 17 confirmed him standing behind a podium with the Metropolis of Brampton’s emblem. “Great St Patrick’s Day celebration at #Brampton Metropolis Corridor this morning,” he wrote, 4 days after getting into the Conservative management race.
He was tagged by the Metropolis of Brampton’s official Twitter account at an occasion on March 23.
On March 29, Brown signed a proclamation declaring an Worldwide Transgender Day of Visibility in Brampton in his function as mayor.
A spokesperson for the Metropolis of Brampton stated the clerk’s workplace had obtained “no info” relating to a depart of absence for the mayor to marketing campaign. They stated questions ought to be despatched to the mayor’s workplace.
The Brampton mayor didn’t reply to questions from World Information.
Brown is operating to develop into Conservative chief below the slogan “fighter, chief, winner.”
He mounted a profitable outsider bid to take over the Ontario PC management in 2015, stepping down in 2018 after sexual misconduct allegations reported by CTV, which he denied.
Brown launched a reported $8-million defamation swimsuit in opposition to CTV final 12 months, which was settled as he was making ready to launch his management bid. No cash modified fingers as part of the settlement, however CTV acknowledged that some particulars supplied to the community required correction. The unique information tales stay on CTV’s web site, and Brown has denied wrongdoing.
He additionally served as a member of Parliament for the Conservative Celebration below Stephen Harper, representing Barrie.
Medeiros and colleague Coun. Pat Fortini have been appointed as Brampton’s deputy mayors on March 2.
The function means one of many two councillors will tackle mayoral duties when Brown is unavailable. This entails chairing conferences, attending occasions and assuming numerous “ceremonial duties,” in line with an announcement from each councillors.
The Municipal Act states {that a} municipality can appoint a member of council to “act within the place of the pinnacle of council” if the pinnacle of council is absent.
“Such member has all of the powers and duties of the pinnacle of council,” the laws stated.
A member’s seat turns into vacant if they’re absent for 3 successive months with out authorization, in line with the act.
Medeiros and Fortini attended a funding announcement at Peel Memorial centre on April 3 of their roles as deputy mayors.
“I’ll be filling in the place I can, based mostly on the necessities of the mayor, if he’ll be away,” Medeiros stated. “Proper now, it’s everyday.”
— with recordsdata from World Information’ Alex Boutilier and David Akin