Is the integrity commissioner’s office in Barrie being “hijacked” by purely political, frivolous or even vexatious complaints with little or no actual merit?
City council debated the matter Monday night, even as it dealt with a high-profile complaint against former mayor Rob Hamilton, who resigned earlier in the day as Downtown Barrie BIA chairman and from the board itself.
“There’s not a doubt in my mind anymore,” said Coun. Sergio Morales. “The office of the integrity commissioner is being hijacked by specific people who want to bring damage to people they disagree with politically.
“I’ve seen a pattern of gotcha moments that are being brought to the integrity commissioner’s office that are not being brought with the intent to hold people accountable, but necessarily they’re being targeted,” he added. “And while accountability for these comments is important, I’m just disillusioned at the negative effect they can have on our community as a whole.”
Barrie integrity commissioner Suzanne Craig’s report said Hamilton should be removed as BIA chairman for a derogatory remark “toward Black people," and offensive comments about the homeless, made at a BIA meeting last September. She recommended he should also be reprimanded, a penalty under the Municipal Act and a strongly worded condemnation of a member of council or local board.
Morales said he agreed with Craig’s recommendations.
“City councillors and members on committees are held to a higher standard,” he said. “I would hate to be in a situation where… we lose members of the community that said inappropriate comments for which they took ownership. So as long as they take ownership and seek restorative actions, that’s acceptable.
“The reality is that language evolves so quickly,” Morales said. “I think… we need to look at people’s intent as well when (complaint) reports are filed, because intent… is just as important.”
Coun. Ann-Marie Kungl, however, doesn’t want to discourage people using the integrity commissioner’s office to complain about the Code of Conduct, which is an agreed-upon understanding by all members of council, and its associated boards, about which standards should be met in the individual conduct of their official duties.
“I did want to just frame the commentary about… the reference to gotcha, gotcha tactics or moments or opportunities,” she said. “I wanted to make a statement of encouragement. The integrity commissioner and the process is one that is public facing, is one that anyone can be using to hold councillors or members of committee accountable.
“Any process that does not have merit does not proceed,” Kungl said.
Craig said several factors are considered when she receives a complaint.
“Is it just a complaint or dissatisfaction with a particular issue? Is it because they didn’t vote for that particular member of council? (Or) lashing out at a particular individual?” she said. “Is this really a Code complaint or is someone just mad? Is someone just offended?”
Craig reminded council members that it was constituents who wanted their politicians held accountable, leading to a Code of Conduct.
“If these types of complaints are more and more frequent… maybe what we need to look at is greater training, preparing people before they run for office,” she said. “Know ahead of time you will be held accountable, and if you are held accountable, there will be repercussions.”
Mayor Jeff Lehman said the complaint process still works, whatever the volume and type of complaint.
“What she (Craig) said is ‘I filter for vexatious complaints, for people who I believe are misusing the integrity commissioner process to bring forward matters which are not valid Code of Conduct complaints’,” he said.
“This (Hamilton report) was a valid, very valid Code of Conduct complaint,” Lehman added. “This complaint was found to be justified regardless of the intent of whoever filed it.”
Council approved a motion to receive Craig’s report, endorse its finding that the Code of Conduct was breached, but that remedial actions involving Hamilton be abandoned.
Coun. Jim Harris asked Craig if she had numbers, such as how many Code of Conduct complaints received, how many found a compromise solution, how many were set aside because they had little or no merit, and how many were investigated and reported upon.
Craig said she didn’t have those numbers Monday.
