A candidate for Catholic school board trustee is crying foul after losing in Monday night's election.
Eric Renaud is claiming election interference after the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board released a letter urging churchgoers to not support any candidate who suggests merging the public and Catholic school boards — an idea Renaud publicly endorsed at a press conference prior to the election.
According to Renaud, the letter, in conjunction with the Diocese of London and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, was posted on church bulletins across the city the day before the election.
Letter to parishioners from the WECDSB , Diocese of London and Catholic Teachers Union Page 1, October, 2018 (via Twitter)
Letter to parishioners from the WECDSB , Diocese of London and Catholic Teachers Union Page 2, October, 2018 (via Twitter)
Renaud says the letter was spreading misinformation.
"That letter does not state any clear facts which are true. First of all, our plan was not to close any Catholic schools, take out Catholic studies out of the programs. It was about putting students first and making sure students got the services they needed by finding cost savings."
But the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board denies it tried to interfere in the election according to the Director of Education Terry Lyons.
"Given the nature of the attacks against our board, we felt that it was imperative that we communicate our vision for publicly-funded Catholic education in Ontario directly to our supporters. In conjunction with our faith development team, which we call Faith Committee, Friends and Advocates of Catholic Education, our unions and clergy."
Lyons adds this was not a public communication.
"We didn't call the media, we didn't make it a political event, we sent it our advocates, people in the Catholic communities. We didn't call a media event, we didn't contact the media but that doesn't preclude us from communicating directly with our Catholic communities."
Renaud says the board needs to be held to account.
"We just need to make sure that this type of issue never happens again. It is unfair for candidates who went out there, knocked on doors, tried to get their position out there and a day before the election there is an attack by groups who are supposed to be non-partisan."
Renaud plans to pursue legal action against the board.
Renaud finished second with about 30% of the vote behind incumbent Bernie Mastromattei who got about 45% to represent Wards 3 and 4 in the City of Windsor.
He says his internal polling had him in a virtual tie with Mastromattei days before the election.