That is Right – Charges have been withdrawn

The following is a statement by Chris Wray regarding the charges that were brought against him. Sudbury Police distributed that media release from Sudbury to Thunder Bay. In the 15 years of Wawa-news and my 10 years with The Algoma News Review under Mr. Bob Avis; the Sudbury Police have never sent a media release regarding a Wawa resident being charged in their jurisdiction for any incident.

 

The most recent headline on the Regional CBC is correct.  The charges that were brought against me, Chris Wray in July 2018, have been withdrawn.

The reason for the withdrawal is that there was simply no evidence to support the disingenuous verbal complaint.  The event never occurred, and I am still mystified and traumatized by the July 2018 actions and the loss of a year of my life not to mention how this affected my family.  It still puzzles me how other very “high profile” people in our society were given much more benefit (in their circumstances) than I was.

Unfortunately, it was more to the liking of most to believe the original story that was posted in various media outlets along with a follow-up story which contained misinformation.  I find it very unfortunate that the media outlets in Sault Ste Marie, Sudbury and elsewhere used the original press release by the Sudbury Regional Police to characterize me as someone that I am not; not to mention my disappointment in the content of the statement itself.

Over the years, I have worked very hard for Wawa and its residents.  The proof has been well documented, and I would be more than happy to talk to anyone about the results over the years.  I have spoken about the merits of opportunity in Wawa and stood up for Wawa on each and every occasion as it was presented without fail.  The staff in Wawa were treated fairly and despite what some may say or think, I always tried to do the best for all the ratepayers of the community.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Section 11(d) states as follows:

“Any person charged with an offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law in a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal.”

Bob Dylan once said;

You’ve got a lotta nerve to say you are my friend
When I was down you just stood there grinnin’
You’ve got a lotta nerve to say you got a helping hand to lend
You just want to be on the side that’s winnin’

I was never given the right of being presumed innocent.  The original release from my employer did not contain any mention of the presumption of innocence; stories in the media dedicated one line saying that the “charges had not been proven in court” while dedicating the majority of their stories to information that appeared to lead their readers or listeners to view me in a negative light.  This gave rise to a bevy of gossip that has led to nothing more than rumour, hearsay, defamation and maliciousness.  While it is unlikely that I would not have given much of a statement at the time, I am disappointed that many media outlets did not even bother to contact me and ask about the allegations, nor did my employer; while at the same time some of my co-workers were instructed not to speak with me.  I guess this is the type of society that we have created for ourselves.

I have to say that I had and continue to have some great support from my colleagues in the municipal sector.  They believe in me for who I am and understand the perils of the position I held.  I also have some great support from friends in Wawa and elsewhere.  My spouse and family has always been at the core of  my success and if not for their unwavering support during the darkest of times, things may be quite different now.  I will never forget those who supported me and will always stand behind them in their time of need.

I will not be leaving the municipal sector, instead I will be using my knowledge and experience for the benefits of others.

I am very aware that “schadenfreude” is well at play here. Editor’s Note (the pleasure that one derives from another person’s misfortune, which is from German Schaden, harm, and Freude, joy)

Those who may take glee in my misfortunes in the Facebook bullying matters and other more recent events are likely not interested in how devastating this has been.  We have all experienced the sight of those with various disabilities that limit the enjoyment of their life to the fullest.  In some cases, such limitations may require prosthetics or the ongoing assistance of others.  There is no prosthetic for a crushed soul or an amputated spirt; only the hope that things will get better.

“Live long and prosper”

Chris Wray