Joe McWilliams
Lakeside Leader

A certain councillor used unethical means to win in last fall’s M.D. of Opportunity election, one of his opponents is charging. John Gullion, who finished 12th in the race, says this person – who will remain nameless in this publication unless he is found guilty – in effect bribed voters to vote for him.

“He boasted on Facebook his friend was going to give dry meat to anyone who voted for him,” Gullion says. “Twenty minutes before the polls opened.”

It’s not hearsay either, Gullion insists. He’s got copies of the Facebook posts. So do his lawyers, who he has been trying to raise money online to help him pay for. That hasn’t been successful, but he says he’s going ahead with the case anyway. It’s already been through two court appearances – one last fall after the election and the other in March. It comes to trial July 14 in Edmonton, he says.

On Gullion’s GoFundMe page – which he says he’s going to pull – he explains that it isn’t him who would benefit from a dismissal of the election result, since he finished so far back in the pack. He just thinks it’s wrong and something should be done about it.

“I did this because this is not right. What are we teaching our children? That bribery is okay in elections?”

Gullion says his suit has gotten “mixed reviews,” in the community, but that isn’t stopping him.

“I’m going ahead with it.”