Candidate for Meaford council Wesley Cann, was in a provincial courtroom in Owen Sound on Thursday morning to face an assault charge.
Cann did not speak when he appeared before the judge, and his Duty Counsel requested that the case be adjourned until November 4. That request was granted.
Having recently moved back to Meaford after 13 years of living in the United States where he says he worked in the video game industry in Hawaii, California and Florida, Cann filed his nomination papers to run for a council seat on the final day of the nomination period.
His campaign has focused largely on his view that taxes need to be lowered, and severe cutbacks in municipal staff and other costs must be implemented in order to improve municipal finances.
Cann participated in the All Candidates meeting that was hosted by the Chamber of Commerce in Woodford the night before he was to appear in court.
Outside the courtroom after his appearance before the judge, the candidate declined to offer comment to reporters saying that he needed time to think about what he would do and say.
The alleged assault took place in Meaford shortly after Cann had declared his candidacy. No details were discussed in the courtroom, however late on Thursday Cann sent a statement by email to The Independent in which he characterizes his relationship with the alleged victim as an on again, off again romantic partnership that went sour.
In the statement the candidate claims that he didn't commit an assault, but that he instead grabbed the alleged victim's wrists during an argument after which she phoned the police to file a complaint.
“Anyways while there [at the alleged victim's home] she was very cold to me and she proceeded to break up with me yet again. To make a long story short I grabbed her wrist (not in a violent way) and pulled her towards me,” said Cann, “Then she freaked out and left and called the Police on me and had me charged with assault.”
Cann says that while at court on Thursday he was presented with two options, and he has yet to decide what he will do.
“So I found out today that I have two choices. If I plead guilty and take a Men’s program I won’t receive a criminal record for grabbing my [at the time girlfriend's] wrist. However if I fight it I will spend a lot of money on lawyer’s fees and I may not win and I risk getting a criminal record. So I’m not sure what to do yet I’m waiting on more information,” read his statement.
Though he has not indicated if he will continue with his campaign for a council seat, Cann closed his statement with an apology for disappointing his supporters.
“I’m sorry if I disappointed anyone I never expected any of this to happen I just wanted to go to work for this township and help it out of its problems and help it through the coming storm.”
