‘Furious’ Brown alleges taxpayer cash used for Brampton councillor’s sexual harrassment lawsuit

The controversies surrounding Brampton city council continue as Mayor Patrick Brown alleges taxpayer dollars were used as “hush payments” to settle a case of sexual harassment against an elected councillor.

Brown claims over $60,000 in taxpayer funds were used in a sexual harassment settlement related to Wards 9 and 10 Coun. Gurpreet Dhillon without council approval.

Dhillon had been accused of allegedly sexually assaulting and harassing a Brampton woman in a hotel room in Turkey in November 2019.

He was later suspended without pay for 90 days by city council following a report from the Integrity Commissioner. Many have called for his resignation, but Dhillon remains on council.

In a press conference, Brown said a whistleblower came forward to him about the alleged payment in July, which was then confirmed by the city CAO.

“What we were informed at the time was that there was a settlement in regards to these allegations. And that, according to the city CAO, over $60,000 of taxpayer funds were involved,” said Brown. “I’m furious about it. City funds should never be used in this manner.”

He adds they had no awareness of the payment until that point. “I was not aware of any payments and I was shocked that it was even possible.”

Councillor Dhillon responded to the allegations, calling them “clearly politically motivated,” and Brown’s “latest attempt to gain control of Council.”

Dhillon said he plans to launch legal action against Brown and called on the City of Brampton legal department to respond directly to Brown’s allegations of hush money payments. “I demand that this statement be made immediately and publicly.”

https://twitter.com/gurpreetdhillon/status/1554501767324377088

Brown said they will be putting forward a motion for the full details of the settlement to be released at the planned city council meeting on Friday.

“So there was a staff member, I’m told from the city CAO, who works in the risk insurance department was the one that executed this document,” said Brown. “We need to get to the bottom of this. We need to know who was involved and who knew.”

Brown said he was told it was limited to a few individuals who “thought because of the amount, it did not merit going to council.”

“They thought it was under delegated authority, but for something as sensitive as allegations of sexual harassment and the settling of a claim like that, this can’t be done in silence. Councillors deserve to know,” added Brown.

The allegations follow a long line of scandals following Brampton City Council. Recently, a judge’s ruling quashed the appointment of an interim councillor in Brampton.

A group of five councillors, including Dhillon and former Brampton councillor Charmaine Williams, voted to appoint Williams to her vacant seat after she was elected as MPP for Brampton Centre.

Mayor Patrick Brown and four other councillors were against the move. The matter ended up in court, and a judge quashed the appointment.

Brown had also previously been running for the Federal Conservative leadership but was disqualified from the race earlier in July over campaign finance allegations.

He later indicated he would be vying for the mayoral seat once again.

The same group of councillors had also voted recently for a series of forensic investigations, including into how contracts were given to firms involved in a push to bring a full university to Brampton.

Brown responded to those allegations by noting they are a block of councillors critical of him. He also noted an ongoing controversy at city hall that has seen the two groups pitted against each other.

Gurpartap Singh Toor, who is running for Regional Councillor of Wards 9 and 10, said in a statement he was shocked to learn that taxpayer money was used for Dhillon’s civil lawsuit settlement.

“As Brampton residents are getting their tax bills in the mail and working hard to make those payments, the last thing they want to hear is that their money is going towards paying for sexual assault lawsuits,” read the statement. “Councillors need to be held to a higher standard.”

The municipal election is set to be held on Oct. 24, 2022.

With files from Nick Westoll