A local journalist has received a cease and desist letter regarding coverage of a potential conflict of interest in town hall.
In a story published on warktimes.com on June 10, journalist Bruce Wark reported that Sackville mayor Shawn Mesheau denied he had a conflict of interest during several council meetings this past year when council considered and approved a zoning amendment that would make way for a factory development by Atlantic Industries Ltd. (AIL) on Walker Road.
In his story, Wark refers to the mayor’s brother, Peter Mesheau, as being the vice-president of marketing and communications at AIL. The same title has been used by other publications including the Financial Post. But in a June 27 letter to Wark from a lawyer representing Peter Mesheau, that title is called “innaccurate and misleading”. The lawyer notes that Peter Mesheau’s title is “Senior Advisor, Marketing and Communications”, and that he has never been an “officer, shareholder, or corporate director” of AIL.
The letter also says that Wark’s story is potentially harmful to Peter Mesheau’s reputation, by suggesting the possibility that he might benefit financially from the zoning change approved by council.
Wark has updated his story to reflect Mesheau’s senior advisor title, but notes in his response to the letter, that a title of vice president has been used in various media reports and business documents over the past nine years.
Wark has filed a formal complaint with the town of Sackville under council’s code of conduct policy. Wark says that Mayor Shawn Mesheau should have declared a conflict of interest and recused himself from the meetings when the amendment was discussed and approved.
The mayor did not vote on the amendment that cleared the zoning path for AIL’s factory, but he did chair the meetings in question.
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