"Silenced for Speaking the Truth: The City of Pickering’s Dirty War Against Transparency and Accountability"

"Silenced for Speaking the Truth: The City of Pickering’s Dirty War Against Transparency and Accountability" By Lisa Robinson Let me make this absolutely clear: what’s happening behind the scenes at the City of Pickering is nothing short of an all-out attack on your right to be informed and my ability to represent you effectively. Since October 2023, Councillor Brenner has been actively working to silence me, trying to block my communication with you through videos and other essential channels. Thanks to an FOI request, we now know that Councillor Brenner has been lobbying the CAO, the mayor, city solicitor, my colleagues on council, and the security manager, to prevent me from using my office to produce my YouTube videos. This is the same individual who once threatened to stick a knife in my back, twist it slowly, and I wouldn’t know until he was ready to pull it out, and who wanted to sharpen his sword and decapate the Mayor. Now, that’s the transparency and honesty we’re getting from this council. After a recent appeal to release redacted emails, it’s clear that Councillor Brenner has been tirelessly working to undermine me. The emails show he’s repeatedly attacked my right to perform my duties as an elected official. He openly claims that because I haven’t “demonstrated any intent to change my behavior” by continuing to speak out about the corruption and wrongdoing within the city, he’s been pushing to strip me of access to municipal facilities. He argues that the Municipal Act doesn’t guarantee that elected officials have access to these resources. He also accuses me of breaching the Ontario Human Rights Code and violating the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act—simply for speaking out about the city of Pickering’s violation of its own flag-raising procedure when they raised the PFLAG flag in the face of the Million Person March for Children. I called this out as a direct assault on those peacefully protesting, accusing the Pickering administration of fueling tensions within the community. And as if that’s not enough, he requested legal advice on the possibility of charging me under Canadian Hate Crime Law. Fast forward to December 2024, and the CAO has issued a directive prohibiting me from using my office to produce videos or host town halls on city property, unless I remain silent about the corruption, collusion, and the truth surrounding what’s happening in the City of Pickering, and stop breaching the city's code of conduct, which in my opinion does not supersede the charter of rights and freedoms. This is not only a blatant attempt to suppress me and prevent me from representing YOU, but it also feels like extortion. If I don't follow the vague and subjective "Code of Conduct," which could easily be twisted to label anything I say as bullying, intimidation, or even threatening—making me face severe consequences, even more than the nine months of pay that I have already lost. And is it also a coincidence that the Integrity Commissioner, Jeff Abrams, when giving the recommendation for my council to sanction me another 3 months of pay on December 16th (Merry Christmas) for my comment, "If I was mayor, I would use the strong mayor powers for good, I would get rid of the CAO, city solicitor, and other directors, as corruption starts at the top. I would tear down city hall, build it back up from the bottom up, and give it back to the people," suggested that he would like to see other avenues as punishment for councillors? He even suggested scenarios such as stripping councillors’ access to city staff or banning those in breach of conduct from entering community centers. These are the kinds of punitive measures he is actively imagining right now. As I have said many times before, I do not believe in coincidences. This my friends is collusion. What’s next? Requests for a criminal investigation against me—based on harmful comments other people say that hurt colleagues’ or staff’s feelings? I do not condone any violence, nor have I ever endorsed actions that compromise anyone's safety or dignity. Yet, instead of acknowledging that, they continue to twist the narratives—all because I keep speaking the truth, calling out inappropriate sexual advances toward me, and exposing psychological harassment. Make no mistake, this isn’t just an attack on me—it’s an assault on your right to hear the truth from your elected representative. This is a calculated, politically motivated effort to silence anyone who dares to speak out against the corruption, the dishonesty, and the backroom dealings taking place in this city. They want to suppress the truth, manipulate the narrative, and control the voices that challenge their power. What they are doing could be considered a form of coercion, collusion, or intimidation, potentially even bordering on extortion. The CAO’s directive, paired with the vague and highly subjective nature of the "Code of Conduct," creates a chilling environment where anything I say—as has already been proven—could be twisted into an accusation of bullying, intimidation, or threatening behavior. This kind of unchecked power is deeply dangerous, as it allows for the suppression of free speech and stifles legitimate concerns—especially when those concerns challenge corruption or expose wrongdoing. The CAO even goes so far as to fabricate words like "burn," attributing them to me—something I never said—deliberately misrepresenting my intent and potentially escalating tensions. And who is this person? None other than someone recently crowned "CAO of the Year" by Municipal World Magazine. Let that sink in. No matter how hard they try to tear me down, I will rise—stronger, louder, and more determined than ever. I will fight not just for the people of Pickering, but for everyone who values common sense, integrity, and the courage to stand up for what’s right. Together, we will shine a light on the truth and take back the power for the people. You deserve the truth. You deserve a voice that stands unwaveringly for you—not for political games, personal agendas, or backroom deals. I am that voice.