London’s council has voted to sanction a metropolis councillor a month’s pay for ‘harassment, bullying, and focusing on’ a metropolis workers member.
Following an investigation, the town’s integrity commissioner discovered that London, Ont., Coun. Susan Stevenson’s “conduct constitutes harassment, bullying and focusing on, and this sample of behaviour is in contravention of the Code of Conduct.”
On Tuesday, London metropolis councillors voted eight to 6 in favour of the integrity commissioner’s advice to droop Stevenson’s pay for 30 days.
Underneath the Municipal Act, upon receipt of a advice report from the integrity commissioner, a council could impose a reprimand or a suspension of pay for as much as 90 days.
That is the second time the integrity commissioner discovered that the councillor violated council’s code of conduct.
The investigation stems from a criticism alleging that Councillor Stevenson’s conduct in direction of administrative workers quantities to harassment that breaches the Council Code of Conduct, the Respectful Office Coverage and the Occupational Well being and Security Act.
The criticism included a selected incident through which the councillor posted on the social media platform X, attributing homeless encampments to a metropolis workers member recognized within the report as Kevin Dickins, deputy metropolis supervisor of social and well being improvement.
The report says, “A person Workers member was recognized at the side of the quote, which the criticism alleged amounted to focusing on by the Councillor.”
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The report stated, “It has been alleged that the Councillor demonstrates a sample of behaviour that’s inappropriate, unwarranted, unwelcome, unprofessional, not conducive to respectful Council and Workers relations, and is making a poisonous work surroundings for civic administration.”
Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis argued that 30 days was too harsh and proposed an amended reprimand of just one week, which was later voted down.
“We now have taken some steps. I’ll agree there was cause to imagine there’s a sample right here, and this can be a second report, however on the similar time, I really feel that the sanction goes from a reprimand to one thing that far exceeds what I’m comfy with,” Lewis stated.
Through the dialogue, a number of councillors stated they, too, had felt bullied and that this was not the primary offence.
Coun. Anna Hopkins, who supported the sanction, stated she had been involved about security because the begin of their time period two years in the past.
“I can solely think about how workers have to be feeling in terms of the investigation that has been discovered, that there’s bullying and harassment happening,” Hopkins stated.
“I really feel that after I sit right here as properly, there’s that feeling that generally I’m not capable of even say what I need to say or feeling that I’m a hostage to having to sit down via feedback.”
Coun. Hadleigh McAlister stated, “I do see a sample of bullying and harassment; I’ve seen it on quite a few events.”
“We have to do one thing to ship a sign that we’re accountable to the code of conduct we maintain our workers to and that we ourselves also needs to be held to that commonplace,” McAlister stated.
Stevenson questioned the equity of the integrity commissioner’s report, mentioning that she raised points about procedural equity and protocol final 12 months.
She stated throughout an interview that she disagreed with the report, and regardless of getting the criticism in Might and asking for examples, she was solely given these in November.
Stevenson stated she was by no means interviewed for the investigation and by no means requested to take the put up naming the workers member down.
One of many situations in query occurred throughout a council assembly, and Stevenson stated she didn’t suppose it meets the factors for office harassment.
“I’ve a duty to be a part of a governing physique that will get to ask questions on the place the cash is spent relating to homelessness and the way successfully that’s being finished,” she stated.
“Even within the integrity commissioner’s personal phrases, they stated that even with a moderated tone in phrases and sounding respectful, persistent questions are skilled as harassment. I disagree which you could bully somebody sounding respectful and with moderated phrases and tone.”
Stevenson stated she would file a criticism with the Ontario ombudsman for an investigation into the integrity commissioner following his report and convey ahead a movement to terminate their contract relying on what’s discovered.
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