Ontario city seeks easier means of removing officials after councillor’s offensive comments

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A city that borders Toronto is pushing for new rules to make it easier to remove someone from elected office, after a councillor sparked criticism for denouncing Black History Month, posing with a far-right German politician and describing herself as “a modern-day slave” when council docked her pay.

Pickering has seen months of increasing dysfunction at city hall. Council requested a police presence at meetings and Mayor Kevin Ashe, in a hot-mic moment, referred to Councillor Lisa Robinson’s supporters as “nutcases.” She slammed him for running a “dictatorship.”

Last week, council passed a motion asking the Ontario Human Rights Commission to intervene, starting a process that could lead to judges being granted the power to remove councillors for discriminatory behaviour. The motion specifically cited Ms. Robinson’s conduct.

However, any change would come only after multiple steps culminating with a legislative amendment to the Municipal Act by the provincial government. A spokesman for the Human Rights Commission said it was aware of the motion, but did not answer questions about whether the commission was willing to intervene. Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Paul Calandra’s office pointed to comments he made Friday that did not address the situation in Pickering directly.

University of Toronto political science professor emeritus Nelson Wiseman called such a rule change a confusing and “far-out” possibility. He predicted that the provincial government would not want to touch the proposal, and even if it did, a judge removing someone from office for non-criminal behaviour would leave a bad taste in voters’ mouths.

“I think the public, especially the people that elected this person, will think, ‘Hey, hold it, you know, who’s deciding to throw them off?’” Prof. Wiseman said.

He noted that the law was not changed to remove former Toronto mayor Rob Ford, even after he was videotaped engaging in illegal drug use. “Ford did get elected, it was for people who didn’t want him to unelect him,” he said.

There are currently limited grounds for removing a municipal politician from office. Being charged with a crime is not enough. Nor is extended absence from council, provided fellow council members excuse the truancy. However, conflict of interest and irregularities in election spending are among the acts that can prompt a judge to order removal.

While a rule change enshrined in the Municipal Act would apply to politicians across Ontario, the Pickering motion singles out Ms. Robinson for comments “widely deemed to be racist, homophobic, transphobic and threatening” that have “negatively impacted Black communities and other protected identifiable groups.”

In an e-mail exchange with The Globe and Mail., Ms. Robinson argued that removing her would disenfranchise her supporters.

“The people of Pickering elected me to be their voice,” she wrote. “I will not let them be silenced nor will I play into this game of segregating people by the colour of their skin, religious beliefs or sexual preferences. I believe the government needs to be neutral and not place one’s interest above others.”

She blamed council dysfunction on “political posturing” and the “silencing of voices.”

The dynamic on Pickering council has long been strained. Councillor Maurice Brenner says staff and elected officials have been confronted and intimidated by members of the public appearing in support of Ms. Robinson. She disputed this, suggesting that frustration was being misinterpreted as aggression.

On Tuesday, Mr. Ashe began the meeting by citing a long list of examples of what he said was disruptive behaviour on Ms. Robinson’s part. “The chaos … has to end,” he said.

The motion passed near-unanimously, with only Ms. Robinson voting against. Mr. Brenner, who introduced it, said council was at wit’s end.

“All we want to do is get on with the business of the city of Pickering,” he said in an interview.

“Do I want to see her gone because of this? I just want it to stop. If the legislation does go through, if it is changed, I hope that it’s seen as a warning for her and any member of council that uses their position the wrong way.”