CORNWALL, Ontario – Coun. Brock Frost, who has lobbied for a code of conduct and an integrity commissioner at city hall, is denying any knowledge of police charges against him in Quebec, but police are saying he will have to appear in court this month.
Seaway News has confirmed with the Levis, Que. police service that the charges have been laid and a summons for Frost to appear in court has been issued.
“He has been charged…with fraud and using a false document,” said Guylaine Laflamme, a spokesperson for the police service.
The summons lists June 19 as the date for Frost to appear in court, she added.
Seaway News has reached out to Frost who denied any knowledge of the charges and suggested he keeps his nose out of such things.
“As I have said before, I have no knowledge of any charges in Quebec,” he said in an email provided to Seaway News. “I live in Ottawa and don’t pay much attention to what is said in Cornwall.
“All I can say is that the police have never contacted me, I have never been arrested and have only been to Quebec twice in two years.
“If you have any more information for me, please feel free to let me know.”
Frost has emailed his colleagues around the council table, telling them to contact him directly if they have questions on this issue.
Nothing against Frost have been proven in court.
Reports suggest Frost was charged by police in Levis, Que., April 27. It is unclear what sparked the police investigation.
Seaway News had been investigating potential police charges against the city councillor some weeks ago. The newspaper reached out to Frost at the time, who denied knowing about any police investigations.
Frost is under no obligation to leave office and can only be forced out in specific instances, including being in violation of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, found to have broken campaign financing laws, or incarceration.
“Under the Municipal Act and the City of Toronto Act, a member of council’s seat becomes vacant if he or she ceases to be eligible to hold office,” said Conrad Spezowka, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “A person does not lose the eligibility to serve solely on the basis of being charged or convicted of a criminal offence, and the legislation does not require a person to resign if they have been charged with a criminal offence.”
City council could ask a Superior Court justice investigate the matter, but even the judge appointed to such inquiry wouldn’t have the power to remove Frost from office.
In the meantime, Frost is likely to face a slew of calls to turn in his keys to city hall.
He has said repeatedly in recent weeks he wants the city to create a code of conduct and retain the services of an integrity commissioner. He also sits on the municipal committee that will make recommendations concerning the code of conduct.
