A Clarington councillor accused of leaving a threatening voicemail for a potential mayoral candidate says the message was manipulated using artificial intelligence.
Councillor Corinna Traill, who has served on Clarington council since 2010, issued a statement Monday denying responsibility for the 39-second voicemail in which a woman identifying herself as “Corinna Traill” threatened to kill mayoral hopeful Tom Dingwall and assault his wife if he pursued candidacy in next year’s municipal election.
“I want to state clearly and unequivocally: I did not create this message,” Traill said. “I have been advised that artificial intelligence technology was involved. Portions of the voicemail were my voice, but other parts were artificially generated.”
The matter is under active investigation by Peterborough Police, who have yet to comment on Traill’s AI claim. Dingwall, a former homicide detective with Durham Regional Police now working for the Law Society of Ontario, reported the voicemail to authorities after receiving it on August 28. He told reporters that the message frightened his wife and was serious enough to warrant immediate police involvement.
CTV News verified the voicemail’s contents but did not release the full recording due to the ongoing investigation. According to Dingwall, the caller pressured him to support rival candidate Joe Neal.
Traill, who has previously worked as a lawyer in human rights, employment, and family law, said she will fully cooperate with authorities. “It is important that residents have confidence in the outcome, and I share in the community’s desire for clarity and truth,” she added.
Dingwall, meanwhile, emphasized that the incident has left his family shaken. “When people aren’t thinking rationally, they’re unpredictable. And unpredictable people sometimes do stupid things. I’m not prepared to take that type of risk with my family,” he said.
The voicemail has reignited public debate about the risks of deepfake audio and AI-driven impersonation in politics. As the investigation continues, community leaders and residents are calling for transparency, accountability, and updated safeguards to prevent similar incidents.
Clarington council resumed meetings today after the summer break.