Councillor Tridico doesn't have to step down

Lorena Tridico has so far given no indication of any desire to step down as Ward 4 Councillor.

And Deputy City Clerk Malcolm White tells SooToday.com that Tridico is under no obligation to do so before the Municipal Elections Act charges laid against her yesterday have been dealt with by the courts.

Ontario municipal law is very clear that, until then, she's entitled to a presumption of innocence, White says.

Councillor Tridico is charged with two counts of being party to furnishing false information and two counts of being party to voting in a place where a voter wasn't entitled to vote.

Her father Orlando, mother Immacolata and sister Grace were also charged yesterday with election offences, along with Rita Cipriano, Natalina Muzzi, Vito Muzzi and Concetta Palumbo.

The following are Section 89 and 90 of the Municipal Elections Act:

************************* Offences

89. A person is guilty of an offence and liable, on conviction, to a fine of not more than $5,000, if he or she,

(a) votes without being entitled to do so;

(b) votes more times than this Act allows;

(c) votes in a voting place in which he or she is not entitled to vote;

(d) induces or procures a person to vote when that person is not entitled to do so;

(e) having appointed a voting proxy that remains in force, votes otherwise than by the proxy;

(f) having been appointed a voting proxy, votes under the authority of the proxy when the elector has cancelled the proxy, is no longer entitled to vote or has died;

(g) before or during an election, publishes a false statement of a candidate’s withdrawal;

(h) furnishes false or misleading information to a person whom this Act authorizes to obtain information;

(i) without authority, supplies a ballot to anyone;

(j) delivers to the deputy returning officer to be placed in a ballot box a paper other than the ballot the deputy returning officer gave him or her;

(k) takes a ballot away from the voting place;

(l) at an election, takes, opens or otherwise deals with a ballot, a ballot box, or a book or package of ballots without having authority to do so;

(m) attempts to do something described in clauses (a) to (l). 1996, c. 32, Sched., s. 89.

Corrupt practices: certain offences committed knowingly

90.(1) If, when a person is convicted of an offence under section 89, the presiding judge finds that the offence was committed knowingly, the offence also constitutes a corrupt practice and the person is liable, in addition to any other penalty, for imprisonment for a term of not more than six months. 1996, c. 32, Sched., s. 90 (1).

************************* Earlier SooToday.com coverage of this story

Lorena, Orlando Tridico and others face election charges Liberal Party upset by photo of Dion with Tridicos