Cornwall City Councillor Maurice Dupelle has not completed the mandatory training required under Ontario’s Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019 (CSPA), preventing him from fulfilling his duties as the City Council appointee to the Cornwall Police Services Board.
Dupelle served as interim chair in 2023 and was elected chair in 2024 after a tied vote with Amanda Brisson, which was decided by a draw. He was nominated for the position by Mayor Justin Towndale, who highlighted Dupelle’s 13 years of council experience. After being elected chair in 2024, Dupelle emphasized his commitment to serving Cornwall and the police service in this role, highlighting his dedication to the board and its responsibilities.
The mandatory training, available online since August 2024, focuses on human rights, systemic racism, and the cultural rights of Ontario’s diverse communities, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. It is a self-directed e-learning course expected to take fewer than eight hours. Despite its availability for over four months, Dupelle has not completed it and has missed five of the last six board meetings, including three consecutive sessions.
Newly elected chair Amanda Brisson, who succeeded Dupelle, clarified the situation, stating in an interview with the Standard-Freeholder, “He’s actually not absent, he’s being asked not to be there.” Dupelle did not respond to inquiries regarding his delay in completing the training. He also did not respond to inquiries in November about his absence from most of the budget meetings.
Brisson, starting in 2024 as Vice-Chair, has led the board’s transition under the new CSPA to oversee its compliance and operations.