After an integrity commissioner’s investigation concluded that Emo Mayor Harold McQuaker had wrongfully held onto donated funds, the township’s mayor has returned the money and received a reprimand from council.
The donated funds held by McQuaker, $5300.65, were just a fraction of the money raised by a series of online fundraising campaigns that totalled almost $35,000.
The campaigns were started after the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) ordered the municipality and McQuaker to pay $15,000 to Borderland Pride in damages, with McQuaker personally on the hook for $5000 of that, following a complaint filed by Borderland Pride in 2024. That complaint was filed in response to the township’s decision in 2020 to decline a request from Borderland to recognize Pride Month.
When a code-of-conduct complaint was filed in early 2026 alleging McQuaker of accepting the $5,300.65 into his personal account, Integrity Commissioner Robin Dunn’s investigation was initiated, and found the allegation to be true.
“I find that the respondent contravened the Township of Emo Code of Conduct by accepting and retaining a reportable financial benefit arising from circumstances connected to his public office without complying with the applicable disclosure requirements,” Dunn said in the report.
The report also states that McQuaker fully complied with the investigation and told the commissioner he intended to transfer the funds to the township following a request to reconsider submitted to the HRTO.
In his report, Dunn also states that he recommended a reprimand through suspension of pay and did not support elevating the situation to the Superior Court of Justice for investigation of criminal wrongdoing.
Minutes from a special meeting of council on Aug. 19 show that the recommendation was followed, and councillors voted unanimously to suspend McQuaker’s pay for 60 days. Additionally, minutes also show that the $5350.65 was handed over to the municipality.
McQuaker confirmed to The Times that the suspension applies only to his pay and that he will be able to continue participating in council meetings and decisions during the 60 days. McQuaker said he couldn’t comment more on the matter at this time.
Despite recovering a portion of the funds, the question of where the remaining near $29,000 went still stands.
Judson-Howie LLP, a Fort Frances-based law firm whose partner is Borderland Pride Director Douglas Judson, sent a letter to the Ontario Provincial Police to look into the remaining amount. Judson has since stated that OPP confirmed they are looking into the allegedly missing funds.
“This stopped being a story about Pride a long time ago. It is now a story about missing money, public accountability for irresponsible spending, and whether taxpayers can trust the people handling either. The mayor was caught red-handed quietly lining his own pockets and the municipality won’t disclose how much taxpayer money it is spending to fight 30 years of established discrimination law in Ontario. Mayor McQuaker can return the cheque, but he can’t refund the public’s trust,” Judson said in an online press release posted to Borderland Pride’s website.
Township of Emo CAO Crystal Gray was reached out to for comment or updates on the unrecovered funds but was unable to be contacted by time of publication.
