A city council member in Clarington, Ontario, is facing criminal charges for allegedly making threats in a voicemail concerning a potential mayoral candidate, according to police reports. Corinna Traill, the councilor representing Ward 3, has denied making any threats, attributing the voicemail to artificial intelligence.
Peterborough police announced Traill’s arrest and two counts of uttering threats in a press release on Wednesday. She has been released with a promise to appear in court in January. The charges stem from a voicemail received by former mayoral candidate Tom Dingwall in August, where Traill allegedly warned him to stay out of the upcoming mayoral race to allow her friend to run unhindered. Dingwall claimed the message implied harm to him and his wife if he did not comply.
Dingwall expressed relief over the charges, stating the impact on his family and emphasizing the need for Traill to step down from her council position. He stressed the inappropriateness of elected officials resorting to intimidation to dissuade others from public service.
In response, Traill refrained from commenting to CBC News, citing the ongoing legal proceedings. However, she previously addressed the situation in a statement, asserting that while portions of the voicemail contained her voice, others were artificially generated through technology. She pledged full cooperation with the investigative process to ascertain the facts for community confidence.
Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster acknowledged the arrest and emphasized allowing the justice system to determine the case’s outcome. He assured residents that the council remains dedicated to serving the community and refrained from further comments due to the legal nature of the matter.