A North Kent councillor, reprimanded two years ago for a breach of council’s code of conduct, has had her pay suspension reduced by one month.
In 2023, North Kent councillor Rhonda Jubenville was found in violation of council’s code of conduct and issued a three-month pay suspension for online comments and alleged bullying of members of the public and municipal staff.
The ruling was later overturned in Divisional Court. Chatham-Kent’s former Integrity Commissioner, Mary Ellen Bench, was directed to resubmit her report on the allegations, and called for Jubenville to be issued a two-month pay suspension.
Council voted in favour of the updated pay suspension at the Civic Centre Monday night in a vote of 9-4. Acting Mayor Lauren Anderson, along with councillors Michael Bondy, Ryan Doyle, John Wright and Amy Finn, voted against the pay suspension. Mayor Darrin Canniff and Councillor Carmen McGregor were absent.
In an interview with CKXS News, Jubenville said she was shocked by the outcome.
“I know that the Integrity Commissioner’s report is final,” said Jubenville. “But her sanctioning is only a recommendation, so we have to adopt the report, there is no deviating from that. But we do not have to adopt the recommendation. So I guess I naively thought that council was not going to adopt the recommendations.”
Jubenville addressed council about what she called a “long and drawn out affair,” refuting allegations that she bullied, abused, or intimidated a member of council, staff, or the public.
“When Ms. Bench alleges that the Divisional Court upholds her findings that I breached Section 15 of the code, the judicial panel merely found the alleged breach to be reasonable. It doesn’t state her findings to be definite or absolute,” said Jubenville.
“In Black’s Law Dictionary, ‘reasonable’ is defined as fair, proper or moderate under the circumstances, implying a standard that is flexible and context-dependent rather than fixed.”
According to Emily Crawford, Director of Legal Services for Chatham-Kent, the municipality has pulled $188,622.67 from the insurance reserve to cover external legal costs in the case.
“That does not include… there is a $20,000 cost award on the Divisional Court matter. That has yet to be paid,” said Crawford.
“Only because of the way that court process works — we need to wait for the court to issue that order. Once the municipality receives that, those costs will also be paid.”
Jubenville had been awarded $20,000 by Justice D.L. Edwards in July 2025 after successfully appealing the 2023 municipal ruling.
The Ward 4 councillor also detailed the personal and political fallout from the Integrity Commissioner’s report.
“I have seen assaults on my character on social media by these very people, I have refrained from defending myself any further,” said Jubenville.
“Ironically, I have met some wonderful people in the communities that I supposedly have bullied, harassed, and abused. I’m sure if asked, these numerous individuals would confirm I have served them as a councillor with the utmost kindness, respect and without any bias and prejudice.”
Jubenville reiterated her “disappointment” with the ruling and the Integrity Commissioner, but doesn’t know if she will file another judicial review in Divisional Court.
“I wish that this was done tonight and we could move forward with the issues that are prevalent in Chatham-Kent and the issues that need our attention,” said Jubenville.
“Not what we were addressing tonight. I do not think that was something that we need to be focusing our attention on. I don’t know how I am going to move forward, but I guess I will figure it out very soon.”
