Candidate apologizes for removing opponent’s campaign flyer from door in Barrhaven West

A candidate for councillor in the Ottawa ward of Barrhaven West is apologizing for removing an opponent's campaign flyer from a doorway and dropping it to the ground while canvassing.

David Hill says he has reached out to Taayo Simmonds to apologize, and is offering a "sincere apology" to all Barrhaven West residents for what he calls a "lapse in judgement."

Simmonds shared a video on Twitter of an unidentified man removing a pamphlet from a door in Barrhaven West on Sept. 21, dropping it on the ground and placing a new flyer in the door. 

"This is something residents of Barrhaven West need to know about," Simmonds said.

"As you can see in the video below, Mr. Hill saw my hand delivered campaign material in a #Barrrhaven West resident's door. This was not a volunteer, it was Mr. Hill himself."

Simmonds issued a statement to the media on Oct. 6, saying he had sent in a complaint to City Clerk Rick O'Connor about a video showing a candidate, "knowingly discarding my campaign literature from a home" in Barrhaven West.

"Barrhaven West residents deserve a fair and ethical race," Simmonds said in the statement, which included a Google file of the video. "David Hill's actions are in violation of this expectation."

CTV News Ottawa reached out to the homeowner about the video last week, and has not independently verified whether Hill is the man shown in the video.

On Wednesday afternoon, Hill apologized for removing the flyer from the door.

"The other day when I was canvassing, I removed and dropped to the ground my opponent's flyer. This was wrong, I have already reached out to apologize to Taayo Simmonds and I want to offer my sincere apology to Barrhaven West residents for my lapse in judgement," Hill said on Twitter.

"I have always strived to ensure that my entire campaign team and I remain focused on the needs of the residents of Barrhaven and that we refrain from engaging in any form of personal attacks or disinformation and conduct ourselves with the utmost integrity. In this particular incident, I failed to live up to those standards, and I apologize unreservedly."

Hill's campaign told CTV News Ottawa Wednesday evening that he was unavailable for an interview. 

Hill and Simmonds are two of the four candidates running for election in Barrhaven West. Incumbent Jan Harder is not seeking re-election.