Pickering Council debating confidential workplace harassment investigation Monday

A harassment investigation involving a member of Pickering Council will be debated at a special in-camera meeting Monday morning, with a Toronto law firm with expertise in code of conduct cases delivering a report on the city’s respect in the workplace policy.

No names were provided for the confidential 11 a.m. meeting but staff-driven workplace harassment complaints are typically investigated internally with no council involvement. When the complaint involves a member of council the matter is debated externally at council.

The report will be delivered by John Macarin and Meghan Cowan of Aird & Berlis, the same firm used to investigate allegations of ‘secret meetings’ at Whitby Council last year that were declared to be without merit.

It is unknown if the report being delivered in Pickering is about Ward 1 Councillor Lisa Robinson, who has been found to have contravened the city’s code of conduct policy eight times and docked nearly two years pay – and is being investigated for a ninth transgression – or about another member of council.

Pickering council members and other municipal officials in Ontario began publicly petitioning the provincial government in 2024 for a bill that would allow for the creation of a standard code of conduct for all municipalities, and penalties up to the removal and disqualification of a member of office if they are in serious violation of the code.

After the bill was passed this spring, Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack said he hopes to have the new rules in place ahead of the October municipal elections.