Mayor and Councillors are giving in to Lisa Robinson out of exasperation and apprehension. Robinson has disrupted Council meetings endless with exaggerations, unsubstantiated accusation and outright bullyish tactics. She has no respect for peers, colleagues or other people making exaggerated remarks and outright untrue statements as she offends and insults. There is no structured legal means of removing her from council which would be wrong as she is an elected representative. But like T**** of the US, some voter remorse is growing. Since she cannot be removed from council by any legal means, Mayor Ashe should use the power of muting the mike and blanking the camera whenever she refuses to abide by the rules of debate and meeting etiquette. Caution her first, clearly and emphatically and then shut her down if she will not abide by the rules. Silenced and off camera for the duration of the meeting.
What the Mayor has chosen to do is comparable to the tail wagging the dog. Robinson is too often self-centred, self-interested and in disregard of all others. That tail should be controlled as any bully should be.
Mayor and CAO’s Joint Statement on Staff Attendance at City Meetings
This was a difficult, but necessary decision to protect our staff from continued mistreatment and uphold our duty as an employer to maintain a harassment-free workplace, as mandated by the province’s Occupational Health and Safety Act. Equally as important, we are sending a strong message to Councillor Robinson that all employees deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
Over the past year, and as recently as the February 24, 2025 Council Meeting, Councillor Robinson has repeatedly violated the Council Code of Conduct, with multiple findings directly related to her ongoing misrepresentation of facts and baseless allegations of corruption. Rather than taking accountability, her behaviour has only escalated, marked by persistent bullying, malicious public attacks, and the defamation of our valued employees.
Before staff attendance at Committee and Council meetings resumes, consideration will be given to the structure of meeting chairs for both Standing Committees and Council, to ensure that decorum is maintained and the rules of procedure are enforced. In the meantime, Council and Committee Members may continue to contact the appropriate staff in advance of the meetings to address any questions regarding reports on the meeting agenda.
We hope this approach will protect staff from further abuse while also preventing them from being exploited in Councillor Robinson’s deliberately inflammatory videos, which distort facts and present information out of context to incite outrage and boost her online engagement at their expense.
