New charge against ex-police union president who now chairs veterans association

The former head of the union representing rank and file Ottawa police officers and civilian members — who resigned in 2022 years after criminal charges were laid against him and was recently elected chair of a board that advocates for veterans of the force — is facing a new charge.

Matt Skof is accused of disclosing personal information in contravention of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, according to courthouse records.

The new charge was laid Thursday, and the alleged offence date was in July 2017.

It comes a month after Skof was elected chair of the board of the Ottawa Police Veterans Association in December, and as criminal charges laid against him five years ago continue to make their way through court.

The veterans association represents former and retired police and civilian members who served with all municipal police services in Ottawa dating back to 1855.

In December, Skof told CBC by phone that he has been helping the veterans association with its bylaws, among other work to represent the interests of veterans.

Breach of trust, obstruction of justice charges laid in 2019

In January 2019, when Skof was a sergeant and president of the Ottawa Police Association representing active sworn and civilian members of the force, he was charged with breach of trust and obstruction of justice after an investigation into leaked audio recordings that had allegedly captured conversations with him.

In those conversations, Skof allegedly shared his knowledge of an undercover police operation, discussed then Ottawa Police Services Board chair Coun. Eli El-Chantiry, and called a community advocate a misogynist slur.

The allegations against Skof have not yet been tested in court. He is being represented by defence lawyers Connie D'Angelo and Michael Edelson, who both have extensive experience representing police officers charged with crimes.

Story continues

D'Angelo appeared virtually in Ontario court in Ottawa on Skof's behalf Friday morning, and said all Skof's matters are moving to resolution. His next appearance is scheduled for February.

After the first charges were laid against Skof in 2019, he stayed on as president of the police association for years. Then, in April 2022, Skof announced he was resigning from the union and retiring as a police officer.

During his tenure at the Ottawa Police Association, Skof was a vocal and public critic of serving police chiefs and other brass, and also faced significant community criticism from advocates who called for changes to policing and even his resignation.

Despite that, he was continually acclaimed to the position or re-elected by Ottawa police officers over multiple terms.

A $500,000 lawsuit filed by Skof against former Ottawa police chief Charles Bordeleau and the Ottawa Police Services Board for suspending Skof after criminal charges were laid against him in 2019 was quietly settled out of court sometime before February 2023. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

Lawsuit quietly settled last year

In March 2019, just a few months after Skof was criminally charged, he and the union filed a $500,000 lawsuit against then Ottawa police chief Charles Bordeleau and the Ottawa Police Services Board for suspending Skof following the charges.

He argued that the suspension was an attempt to undermine his work as union president, and that it violated the freedom of association Charter rights of both Skof and the association.

The lawsuit was tossed by a Superior Court judge in 2020, but Skof and his lawyer Paul Champ successfully appealed, and it was reinstated later that year.

A settlement was later reached out of court. The case was dismissed on consent in February 2023, according to courthouse records.

Champ wrote in an email Friday that the settlement was reached after the parties went through discoveries. The terms are confidential.

Skof could not immediately be reached for comment Friday.

D'Angelo wrote in an email that she and Edelson have no comment to make at this time about Skof's charges.