The team undertaking the judicial inquiry into the 2012 sale of 50 per cent of Collus to PowerStream has released the rules of procedure for the inquiry.
The rules were posted on the inquiry communication website, and indicate the procedures to be followed as the inquiry moves forward to the public hearings portion.
The rules of inquiry also refer to the mandate of the judicial inquiry, which includes investigating the sequence of events that led to the Town of Collingwood selling shares of Collingwood Utility Services Corporation (Collus) to PowerStream on March 6, 2012. The inquiry will also include an investigation into other subsequent contracts between the Town of Collingwood and PowerStream or Collus PowerStream; any fee or benefit paid by PowerStream to anybody as it relates to the share sale; the commercial relationship between PowerStream Inc., Collus PowerStream and the Town of Collingwood prior to 2017; the salaries paid in relation to the sale; the allocation of the proceeds of the sale to Central and Heritage parks; and payment of any fee or benefit to any person involved in the work done at Central and Heritage Parks.
Money from the sale of the Collus shares in 2012, was used in the construction of two Sprung membrane structures, one for the Central Park arena and the other for Centennial Aquatic Centre at Heritage Park.
According to the inquiry rules document, public hearings will take place at the town hall council chambers on the second floor of the building at 97 Hurontario Street. The hearings will take place Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each week, and the dates will be set by the judge, Associate Chief Justice Frank Marrocco.
The next step in the process is for the judge to grant standing for those wishing to participate in the inquiry. To get official standing in the inquiry, the judge must be satisfied by a written application and in-person request that a group or individual has substantial and direct interest in the subject matter of the inquiry or whose participation may be helpful in accomplishing the mandate.
The judge will be hearing from those requesting standing during a public meeting at town hall at 10 a.m. this Monday, Aug. 14.
The judge has already appointed two lawyers, Janet Leiper and Kirsten Thoreson, as inquiry counsel. Leiper is the inquiry council and Thoreson is associate counsel. Both will represent the public’s interests in the inquiry and it’s their role to make sure all matters of public interest are brought to the attention of the judge. They have standing for the inquiry.
In addition to the standing hearings, there will be a community information meeting on Monday, Aug. 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Collingwood Public Library in Community Meeting Rooms B and C on the third floor. At the meeting, members of the public can meet the inquiry team and will be provided with information on the anticipated work and process of the inquiry.
Anyone with information that may be helpful to the inquiry can submit documents, witness names and other information to the inquiry counsel, Janet Leiper here or to associate inquiry council, Kirsten Thoreson, here.
There is legal protection for witnesses to encourage them to come forward and give full evidence in an inquiry.
