A city councillor from Pickering, Ont., who has faced several misconduct complaints and pay suspensions, has revealed she is running for mayor in the upcoming municipal elections.
Coun. Lisa Robinson made her announcement in a video on Sunday and will compete against Kevin Ashe, the current mayor of the city located east of Toronto, in the elections set for Oct. 26.
<p. Elected in 2022, Robinson has been at the center of multiple misconduct allegations over the past two years, including claims of homophobia and racism, along with frequent appearances on right-wing media outlets.
She has received several pay suspensions ranging from 30 to 90 days after multiple investigations by an integrity commissioner into her behavior, which eventually led to council meetings being held online.
Some of these penalties resulted from her remarks that criticized Black History Month and LGBTQ+ advocacy. Her first suspension was imposed in 2023 after she posted on social media identifying certain local residents, sparking an investigation for cyberbullying and intimidation.
Robinson has consistently denied all accusations against her.
Additionally, she sought judicial reviews concerning her penalties; however, an Ontario court upheld both the integrity commissioner’s conclusions and the city’s decisions regarding her pay suspension.
The other members of Pickering council and various municipal officials across Ontario began advocating for a provincial bill in 2024 that would establish a standardized code of conduct for municipalities. This would include potential penalties such as removal or disqualification for serious violations of that code.
After passing last month, Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack expressed hope that these new regulations would be implemented before the October municipal elections.
Nobody from Robinson’s or Ashe’s camp responded immediately to requests for comments on Tuesday.
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