Pickering, Ont., councillor running for mayor after multiple misconduct complaints

A Pickering, Ont., city councillor previously embroiled in multiple misconduct complaints and pay suspensions has announced she’s running for mayor in this year’s municipal elections.

Coun. Lisa Robinson made the announcement in a video Sunday and is set to run against Kevin Ashe, incumbent mayor for the city east of Toronto, in the elections on Oct. 26.

Robinson, who was elected in 2022, was at the centre of multiple misconduct complaints beginning two years ago, including accusations of homophobia and racism and repeated appearances on right-wing media platforms.

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She has been sanctioned with several pay suspensions ranging from 30 to 90 days after multiple integrity commissioner investigations into her conduct, which at one point prompted the council to move its meetings online.

Some sanctions came after Robinson made comments criticizing Black History Month and LGBTQ+ advocacy. Her first pay suspension was handed down in 2023 after she made social media posts identifying some local residents, triggering an integrity commissioner investigation for cyberbullying and intimidation.

Robinson has previously denied all allegations against her. She also applied for judicial reviews of her penalties, with an Ontario court upholding the integrity commissioner’s findings and the city’s decisions to suspend her pay.

The remaining 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 last month, Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack said he hopes to have the new rules in place ahead of the October municipal elections.

Coun. Robinson and Mayor Ashe did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.

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