Wawa Council Speaks Out Against MPP Michael Mantha, Set to Pass Resolution

Wawa Municipal Council's speaking out against Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Michael Mantha - and planning to formalize their stance.

In their Committee of the Whole meeting last night, Council discussed multiple requests that they call for Mantha's resignation, something Mayor Melanie Pilon says she encouraged residents to officially bring to Council after getting several questions about it.

While Council spoke in favour of such a resolution, Mayor Pilon acknowledges nothing was passed last night, and will instead be brought forward for a vote at the next meeting, on September 17th.

Mayor Pilon emphasizes this is a show of accountability.

Though Council was fully in favour of such a resolution, Councillor Mitch Hatfield did raise concerns about potential negative consequences while Councillor Jim Hoffmann took issue with Mayor Pilon calling their stance "courageous", saying they were simply telling Mantha he was out of line and they don't like it.

Chapleau Mayor Ryan Bignucolo says Chapleau Town Council expressed their distaste with Mantha in a resolution passed last week.

Last October, Chapleau Council passed a resolution calling for the Province of Ontario to "send a clear message and set an example" by removing Mantha as MPP, though no such move was made, and it's unclear whether a mechanism currently exists for the Legislature to forcibly remove a member.