McNab/Braeside, Ont. council votes to suspend mayor's pay over pattern of aggressive behaviour

Councillors in the Ottawa Valley community of McNab/Braeside, Ont. have voted to suspend township mayor Mark MacKenzie's pay for 60 days following an integrity commissioner's report into his behaviour. 

Township council has also voted to request the mayor submit a public apology.

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The report by Cunningham Swan Carty Little & Bonham LLP said MacKenzie breached the municipality's code of conduct 25 times this spring. He was found to have conducted himself in a manner that was 'dishonest, false and misleading' and to have 'made threats and behaved in an aggressive manner towards the Complainant.'

"We note that our findings of breach of the Code of Conduct are serious in nature and frequency and represent a course of conduct by the Member (MacKenzie) that demonstrates a serious disregard for the standards of behaviour expected of an elected Member of Council," the report says.

"When we look at the totality of the behaviour, we found that the behaviour that was found to have occurred was a serious series of breaches," said integrity commissioner Tony Fleming at Tuesday's council meeting.

Deputy Mayor Lori Hoddinott said council attempted to deal with the mayor's behaviour internally, but eventually had to go with the option of requesting an integrity investigation.

"This decision was not taken lightly. It reconfirms that when dealing with a bully, you stand up to him," she told council. "What you are hearing or reading in this report tonight is the result of standing up. To be clear, misogyny, bullying, intimidation, harassment, threatening, abusiveness, dishonesty, racism, and aggressive behaviour will never be condoned by this council."

In a statement filed at the meeting, MacKenzie said he disagreed with the integrity commissioner's assessment and the recommendation to suspend his pay.

"I have asked for a review of the process by the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman which includes my question of why 12 witnesses were chosen to be interviewed but none of them at my request. When the conclusions are based on 'Balance of Probabilities' and the Integrity Commissioner's Office only interviews witnesses from one side, this clearly skews the conclusions drawn," his written statement says.

The 'balance of probabilities' is the standard of proof that applies to integrity commissioners in Ontario.

A closed session of council on April 18 was of particular note. According to the report, MacKenzie was "extremely angry and yelling" and accused council of being "on a witch hunt", "a lynch mob" and that they "should take him out to the nearest tree." He is also accused of slamming things on his desk, threatening to leave the meeting and turning his back to councillors for several minutes.

MacKenzie told the integrity commissioner that he was "blindsided" by the matter being discussed, the report says. He admitted to accusing council of being "on a witch hunt" and a "lynch mob" and that he did turn his back to council during the meeting.

"The Member alleged that he was upset as a result of the content of the meeting and feeling that process was not being followed, resulting in an unsafe environment and unsafe situation for him," the report says.

MacKenzie addressed the issue of his actions on April 18 in his written statement.

"I will be the first to admit the closed meeting of Council of April 18th was not my finest moment. I want to ensure residents, stakeholders, and fellow Councillors and staff that I take accountability for my poor choice of words, and actions that have caused harm. Consider this a Notice of Motion where I will be asking for those minutes to be made public because I believe it’s important for the full context of my frustration to be clear," he wrote. "I apologize for any offense that anybody at that meeting may have taken."

The public apology requested by council is to be posted on the municipality's website. 

In a statement Wednesday, MacKenzie said he would be asking council to defer this public apology until an ombudsman investigation is complete. 

"I will be asking Council to defer that until the Office of the Ombudsman has conducted a review of the process which now comprises even more procedural concerns given that statements were made in Chambers that were not included in the report. The Township and all parties need to do this right," he wrote.

MacKenzie said he was disappointed his statement, filed Tuesday, was not accepted as information at the meeting.

"It was read out loud in Chambers with running commentary which is highly unusual, and not in-line with Township policy," he claimed.

"It is important that the Township prepare for a new year where we all execute our roles properly and deliver on our residents' expectations of quality service delivery. We need to improve our respect for proper process and decorum and I will carefully consider how I can do my part towards that end." 

--With files from CTV News Ottawa's Dylan Dyson.