Former Rick Chiarelli staffers speak out at Bill 9 hearing in Ottawa

Critics say an Ontario bill that would allow municipal councils to oust bad actors sets the bar too high to be effective. CTV’s Natalie van Rooy reports.

Staffers who once worked for former long-time Ottawa city councillor Rick Chiarelli are once again sharing their stories as the provincial government looks to create new rules that would make it easier to fire any councillor who violates the code of conduct.

Even after Ottawa’s integrity commissioner found Chiarelli harassed and bullied female staff, he remained on council, sparking calls from across the province for change.

The province is looking at new legislation that could allow municipal councils to oust members for serious violations, but some say what’s proposed now may not go far enough and the process would be far from automatic.

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“This is not a partisan issue,” said Nancy Cairns, who was a former councillor’s assistant in Chiarelli’s office. “It’s a workplace issue and a human rights issue.”

Cairns worked in Chiarelli’s office from 2013 to 2017, when she says that she endured harassment and bullying.

“I’ve lived through what happens when a councillor engages in harmful, predatory behavior and nothing is done to stop it,” said Cairns.

She’s one of Chiarelli’s former staffers who are sharing their experiences as the province holds hearings on proposed legislation aimed at making it easier to fire councillors in serious violations of the municipal code of conduct.

“I don’t want anyone else to go through what I went through,” she said. “I’m really glad that we finally have a bill in front of us.”

If passed, Bill 9 would allow municipalities to remove a councillor after a recommendation by the municipal integrity commissioner, approval from the integrity commissioner of Ontario, and a unanimous vote by council.

But there are concerns that the bar is too high.

Former councillor and now New Democrat MPP for Ottawa Centre, Catherine McKenney, says getting a unanimous vote may be a challenge.

“We cannot expect survivors to come forward if, in fact, you know everything that they come with will hinge on whether one person can go to the washroom and not be there for the vote,” said McKenney.

For years, the province has faced calls to address the issue after Ottawa’s integrity commissioner found Chiarelli had harassed and bullied female staff. The allegations dated back to 2013.

Chiarelli rejected calls to resign, and council could only dock his pay. He left city council in 2022 after not seeking re-election.

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“I support the proposed legislation,” said River Ward Coun. Riley Brockington. “It is high time to ensure that there is a level of accountability in place that can and will address the most egregious cases of behavior that breach codes of conduct that, in the majority of workplaces, would be dealt with swiftly and appropriately.”

Chiarelli’s former staffers are hoping their voices are heard at Queen’s Park.

“I’m really hopeful that this is actually going to be feedback that they’ll listen to,” said Stephanie Dobbs, a former councillor’s assistant to Chiarelli.

The province is holding hearings at several different locations for this proposed legislation.