8-time offender up for ninth conduct sanction at Pickering Council Monday

Already sanctioned eight times by the city’s Integrity Commissioner (losing nearly two years pay in the process) and limited to virtual-only participation in city meetings after a workplace harassment complaint was upheld by outside counsel earlier this month, embattled Pickering Councillor Lisa Robinson is facing a ninth sanction and another 90-day pay cut at Monday’s council meeting.

This code of conduct violation is based on a YouTube video posted in April about the veracity of claims about mass graves at a former residential school site in Kamloops, B.C. which contains statements which “disrespect and malign staff, and falsely accuse senior staff of corruption,” declared Principles Integrity in their report to council.

Principles Integrity said Robinson “repeated false claims” that Pickering senior staff were corrupt that were “identical” to statements which have previously been found in breach the Code of Conduct and led to eight sanctions in her three-and-a-half years as councillor.

“We have previously investigated the respondent’s allegations of corruption and found find that her allegations, statements and claims against staff were entirely baseless and false.”

“Further, we found that her allegations against staff were both disrespectful and harassing. “

As to Robinson’s residential school mass grave denial, Principles Integrity called her comments “hateful and offensive” but noted the jurisdiction to prohibit such statements lies with the federal government, not the city’s Integrity Commissioner.

Robinson posted a three-minute video in earl April claiming that information about mass graves had been “exaggerated and manipulated by politicians and the media,” and that the most recent evidence, in her view, proved that these claims were “false and unfounded.”

In response, likely because of “collective outrage” at her statements, Principles Integrity claimed, she clarified in a subsequent interview with Rebel News on April 27 that she was not denouncing the existence of residential schools or that their survivors experienced real harm; only that the existence of mass graves was a lie.

“Agreeing that the residential school system existed but denying some of the worst horrors – which mass graves point to – is tantamount to twisting the facts to reject what are well-established events. It is similar to trends such as climate change denialism, where people use their platform to sow doubt about well-established events by cherry-picking facts.”

The accusations about Pickering staff being “corrupt,” however, were declared to be substantiated.

Lisa Robinson

“We find that this is repeat behaviour, which has previously been sanctioned as a breach of the Code, (and) we are recommending a 90-day suspension of pay.”

“Members have a duty to treat members of the public, one another, and staff, with respect and dignity and without abuse, bullying, or intimidation.”

With Monday’s meeting being the last regular council before the summer break and the October municipal election looming (where Robinson will challenge Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe for his seat), the Integrity Commissioner has expedited his report to get the complaint heard Monday.

“We are of the view that (Robinson’s) conduct represents a continued pattern of blatantly, intentionally and wilfully defying the provisions of the Code of Conduct. In our view, a significant change in behaviour is necessary. As such, we believe that a significant sanction is warranted.”

Principles Integrity was appointed the Integrity Commissioner for the City of Pickering on November 15, 2022 and also serves in that role for several other municipalities.

Co-Principal Jeffrey Abrams has announced he is retiring at the end of the year.