They complain of Paul Bonwick's involvement with PowerStream, the Ontario power company. The citizens complaining to the OPP have also requested an examination of another major town decision involving the sale of their local power and water utility. Bonwick hired by bidder ahead of utility sale The casino debate has been highly divisive in Collingwood and since November's vote rejecting an OLG slot facility, council has changed its mind and this week voted 8-1 to invite the OLG to consider an even bigger $100-million integrated resort casino complex in the community. So if he's a lobbyist for that, he's doing a fairly poor job because I voted against that idea," Chadwick told CBC News.īonwick told CBC News this week that he has severed ties with the Georgian Manor casino group and "at no time, in any way, shape or form" was he hired to lobby council. Chadwick who voted against hosting the casino says Bonwick never told him he was working for the casino proponents last fall There's so many people I know, if I had to declare a conflict on every person I know, or everybody who came into my flower shop, my business, it would be totally impossible."Ĭoun. "In a small community like Collingwood, we have numerous amount of people who are friends," Lloyd told CBC News. Certainly I have been sitting at the council table continually since 1997," Cooper said.ĭeputy Mayor Rick Lloyd, a close family friend of Bonwick's, says he was never lobbied by Bonwick and was under no obligation to declare his ties. I'm not sure if you are questioning my morals. "I asked him if he was working with the casino people or with any developers within our community regarding a casino and he had said he hadn't been," Cooper said.Ĭooper bristled at news two citizens had filed complaints with the OPP over her voting on issues involving her brother. The mayor seemed surprised to learn her brother was even involved in the project. There's nothing to disclose, I do not have an interest," the mayor told CBC News citing the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act which stipulates elected officials only have to declare conflicts when considering matters involving parents, spouses or children - not siblings. The mayor and deputy mayor both voted in favour, never publicly discussing Bonwick's involvement. In early November, Collingwood council voted 5-4 to reject hosting an OLG slot machine facility. Ian Chadwick is a contract employee with Bonwick's company. He is also a close family friend of Deputy Mayor Rick Lloyd. And Coun. The CBC has found no evidence anyone violated any laws.īonwick was hired last October, and offered $20,000 as an initial retainer with the prospect of receiving $480,000 over two years if the town green-lighted the casino project and Georgian Manor won the slot contract from Ontario's Lottery and Gaming Corporation, according to a number of sources.īonwick confirms he was hired for strategic consultations - but tells CBC he did not lobby anyone. Bonwick stated explicitly he would not lobby any elected officials but instead gave the group advice on how specific council members might vote and might be swayed.īonwick is the brother of Mayor Sandra Cooper. Two citizens have complained to police that they fear some members of council are being improperly influenced by Bonwick and are failing to disclose their close relationships with him - amounting to a lack of transparency, or at worst a conflict of interest.
Paul Bonwick, a former Liberal MP and now a lobbyist and president of Compenso Communications, was hired last fall by a group of investors - including the owners of the Georgian Manor resort - who wanted to bring a 300-slot machine facility to town. CBC News has learned the Ontario Provincial Police are probing complaints of potential conflict of interest involving the town council in Collingwood, Ont., and politicians’ ties to a lobbyist involved in a multi-million dollar sale of a local utility and on a proposed new casino.
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