MISSISSAUGA — Ward 4 hopeful Greg Dell says he’s investigating how forged signatures purporting to be from Mayor Bonnie Crombie, Peel Region Chair Frank Dale and former Mississauga mayor Hazel McCallion wound up on his campaign literature.

Dell, one of 26 candidates vying for the Ward 4 seat that Frank Dale vacated when he became Regional Chair, said he was unaware of the hand-written signatures which appear to endorse him as the next councillor, until receiving a call Thursday night from Mississauga mayor Bonnie Crombie. The mayor confirmed she phoned Dell after learning of the hoax.

“I'm appalled that a candidate or his team members would not only misrepresent himself to voters but use my name to do it,” she said. “Forging someone's signature is unacceptable and not what voters should expect of a serious candidate let alone a city councillor.”

The literature in question, obtained by The News, has black marker written on Dell’s campaign cards and was sent to several homes in the ward ahead of Monday’s byelection.

The notes include “#1 Choice,” with a “Bonnie” handwritten signature and “Please Vote” with a handwritten signature from “Hazel.”

Dell wouldn’t rule out that it may have come from his campaign members, but said he would look into the matter “with his campaign team.”

Dell agreed it’s deplorable to forge other people’s signatures or use it without permission, and added the hoax could have been part of another candidate’s “hoodwinks game which we see in politics from time to time.”

Dell’s campaign manager, Natalie Hart, said the signatures could have come from anywhere and that Dell wouldn’t resort to such tactics. He also wouldn’t include photos of prominent political figures in his literature without their permission, as other candidates have, she said.

Darryn McArthur, campaign manager for another Ward 4 candidate, Mike Douglas, was one of the first people to notice the signatures and described it as dirty politics.

“It’s pretty clear it’s an attempt to mislead voters and imply that a candidate has the backing three prominent members of the community, which is not the case,” he said. “It’s a bit alarming.”