Silence or Starve: How Pickering’s CAO and Council is Punishing Me for Telling the People the Truth

Silence or Starve: How Pickering’s CAO and Council is Punishing Me for Telling the People the Truth By Lisa Robinson Our Pickering CAO, Marisa Carpino, seems to think she’s untouchable. As an elected representative chosen by the people, I requested a meeting with her, that was scheduled for today, but she canceled it because I didn’t tell her about all the different topics I wanted to speak about. Since when does a public servant get to dictate terms to an elected official? I am quite certain that the CAO is supposed to work for the municipal council, not the other way around. But this is Pickering - where there is little transparency — and lots of arrogance and control. But it gets worse. Carpino filed a complaint against me to the biased “Principles Integrity” and now, on Monday, council will vote once again to strip me of another three months of pay. That’s a total of nine months without pay — nearly a full year without income — because I dared to speak the truth. I said that if I were mayor, I would use the strong mayor powers to get rid of the CAO, the City Solicitor, and a few of the directors. I said because corruption starts at the top. I’d tear down City Hall, build it back up, and give it back to the people. And for having the courage to say that, she ran to her city-paid integrity commissioner, crying “bullying” and “intimidation.” That’s not accountability — that’s a power trip. Let’s be clear: This is about control, plain and simple. When you punish an elected official for expressing their vision for the future, you’re trampling on their Charter-protected right to free expression under Section 2(b). This isn’t just my right — it’s the right of every elected official to speak freely on matters of public interest. But instead of defending that right, Pickering Council seeks to crush it. To make matters even more outrageous, Carpino was just named “CAO of the Year” by Municipal World. For what? Silencing dissent? Filing complaints to punish free speech? Weaponizing the integrity commissioner against her critics? Public servants should expect public scrutiny — that’s democracy. But apparently, Carpino believes she’s entitled to live without criticism, and if anyone dares challenge her, she pulls the levers of power to destroy them. Her fragile ego has real consequences. I’m being forced to go without pay for another three months. No pay means no mortgage payments, no food for my child, and no Christmas gifts for my family. And all because she didn't like that I said I’d fire her if I were mayor. Since when did being honest about your intentions as a leader become a crime worthy of financial ruin? On Monday, Pickering Council will have another chance to show where they stand. Will they side with the people or the bureaucrats? Every councilor who votes to support this punishment is complicit in this abuse of power. I wouldn’t even treat my worst enemy this way. It’s disgusting and exposes the rot in their character. If they think they can break me, they’re dead wrong. They are even upset that people had donated to a GiveSendGo that was set up for me a year ago. That donation symbolized the support of the people, and it enraged them. Why? Because they hate that the people still stand with me. To them, I haven’t "learned my lesson" to shut up and obey. That’s what this is really about — obedience. But it gets darker. They want me to lose my house. They want to see me unable to provide food or necessities for my child. They believe if they can push me to the brink of financial ruin, I’ll finally submit. They’re not just trying to take my pay — they’re trying to take my dignity, my family’s security, and my will to fight. That is pure evil. That’s not governance — it’s coercion. It’s an assault on democracy disguised as “accountability.” They don’t want honesty, transparency, or courage on council. They want puppets who never question, never challenge, and never expose corruption. But here’s the part they’ll never understand: I will never bow to bullies. I will never stop fighting for the people. If they want to strip my pay, so be it. But they will never take my voice. This fight is no longer just about me — it’s about you. If they can silence an elected official like this, what do you think they’ll do to you? This isn’t just evil — it’s dangerous. It’s a blueprint for tyranny. If we don’t stop it now, they’ll do it to anyone who dares to speak up. Just look at how they are desperately trying to change the Municipal Act to apply to a judiciary to remove an elected official who challenges their motivies, and exposes their corruption. The people of Pickering deserve better. All people deserve better from their governments. You deserve elected officials who stand for you — not bureaucrats who hide behind fake awards, photo ops and weaponize complaint systems to protect themselves from criticism. They may have the power now, but they’ll never have my submission. Mark my words: This isn’t over. The tide is changing I’ll keep fighting for the people of Pickering, and beyond— paid or not. This isn’t just about my pay. It’s about your right to have elected officials who speaks the truth, exposes corruption, and puts people before politics. Cities belong to the people, not bureaucrats hiding in backrooms. Remember that.