Former municipality of Norfolk-Treherne councillor Gilles Guertin resigned from his role last week, marking the fifth council member to have resigned in the last two years. Guertin's departure from council follows that of Perry Delf, Dale Timmerman, Steve Nicholson and James Knockaert.

Guertin says a difference in philosophy on how council should function ultimately led to the decision.

"I resigned from my seat as a councillor from the Municipality of Norfolk-Treherne because my vision of how the council should be functioning is totally different than what I had seen or anticipated over the years," says Guertin. "I believe that the decision-making process should be transparent while considering the values and opinions of the people who have voted us into council. Unfortunately, this council has been divided on a number of issues, which I cannot discuss at this time because many of these issues are in-camera."

Guertin explains he worked in Red Deer, Alta., as a police officer for four-and-a-half years. There, he was required to attend every council meeting and saw how those councils operated.

"These councils operated completely different than how Treherne is working," says Guertin. "Also, for a year-and-a-half, I was attending every council meeting in Portage la Prairie, which was a council that was working on trust, beliefs, and making appropriate decisions... I wish the other councillors and the reeve good luck."

Norfolk-Treherne Reeve Will Eert has yet to respond to Portage Online's request for comment regarding how they plan on filling the vacant council positions.

The current positions in the municipality are outlined as follows:

  • Will Eert, Reeve
  • Robert Davy, Ward 1
  • Ryan Gaultier, Ward 1
  • Albert Lesage, Ward 2
  • Larry Marlatt, Ward 2
  • VACANT, Ward 3
  • VACANT, Ward 3