Two Windsor residents have been ordered to pay the city of Windsor more than $121,000 for allegations of wrongdoing during the 2014 municipal election.
Superior Court Justice Rene Pomerance has ordered the two applicants, Mathew Ford and Ian Shalapata, to pay legal costs to the city which were incurred during the court proceedings.
The two applicants took issue with the outcome of the 2014 municipal election and complained to the police, which investigated and concluded there was no basis for charges.
She found the applicants 'attacked the integrity of the municipal election.'
The two men then set out to lay charges themselves in court and had the election records sealed, even though the documents were suppose to be destroyed under the municipal act.
The Ontario Court of Justice declined to proceed with the complaint and no charges were laid.
In her ruling. Justice Pomerance said the 'allegations made by the applicants were very serious, striking at the core of the democratic process.'
She noted 'the applicants challenged the integrity of the election and the status of duly elected officials, without cause. The nature of the allegations justifies a significant costs award.'
She said 'calling government officials to account is in the public interest; launching unfounded allegations against government officials is not.'