Fabricating fear and rewriting records

fabricating fear and rewriting records By Lisa Robinson The Corporation of The City of Pickering is once again fabricating fear and rewriting records while banning staff – just to protect their corrupt power. The truth is coming out, and it’s time you see what they're really trying to hide! Recently, the Mayor and CAO issued a statement declaring that, due to my so-called disruptive conduct, the two of them decided that staff will not attend upcoming public meetings for the month of March. They claim this decision is made to protect employees from harassment and to ensure a respectful, harassment-free workplace. However, what’s really happening is far more troubling. Instead of addressing genuine issues that I have brought forward recently about staff blatantly lying to the people and council during public meetings, they’ve fabricated another narrative of fear—protecting employees—instead of holding those employees accountable for misleading the public and council. If their defense is that exposing dishonesty somehow threatens staff, then what does that say about the integrity of their administration? Just a month ago, they painted concerned residents as “alt-right extremists” and used fear for their safety to justify shifting our meetings to a virtual format that excludes in-person attendance. If they truly feared for their safety, why were they bringing their families—their wives, children, and even 8-year-old grandchildren—to our meetings? Why do they keep showing up even now at store openings and events that have no police presence if they are so afraid? So why are they really taking it a step further by banning staff from attending meetings altogether? This isn’t about protecting anyone; it’s a calculated move to eliminate accountability and sever the public’s right to get answers. They say they want to send a strong message to Councillor Robinson that all employees deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. I 100% agree that while employees deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, shouldn’t the city be focused on sending a strong message to its directors and staff that the residents of Pickering deserve to be treated with dignity and respect—and above all, to be told the truth rather than lies and deception? This isn’t governance. This is corruption. Let’s talk about the facts—because they sure won’t. This is the real reason why they are putting such absurd measures in place. In the last three meetings alone, they have been caught lying multiple times. Just last month, the Director of Economic Development and Strategic Projects was caught lying to both the public and council twice about the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT). And when they got exposed, did they own up to it? No. They tried to cover it up—with the Mayor claiming the record was “corrected.” Just because the Mayor claims the record has been corrected doesn’t erase the fact that they colluded and lied. It was dishonest; it was outright corruption, and it never would have come to light if I hadn’t exposed it. The only reason they corrected anything was because they got caught. So, Monday night I introduced a notice of motion to impose strict penalties on any city employee, committee member, or contractor doing work for the City of Pickering who deliberately provides false or misleading information to council or the public. And what happened? The Mayor panicked. First, he threatened to rule it out of order, which is a blatant abuse of power, as the Mayor's job is to act as a neutral presiding officer—not a dictator. This isn’t an isolated incident—it’s a pattern. Then, realizing how bad that looked, he dismissed it with basically a smug, “there is no basis of fact but you can try and get a seconder—how’s that.” That’s a clear signal to council members that they’re expected to fall in line and not support the motion. This kind of behavior is a form of political intimidation—a way for the mayor to exert control without having to explicitly tell members what to do. This has also become a pattern. But here’s the bigger question—why would an honest mayor be terrified of holding liars accountable? Because he knows that accountability starts with him. If the truth mattered in his administration, he would have no problem supporting penalties for dishonesty. Instead, he’s doing everything he can to shut it down. That tells you everything you need to know. The Mayor and CAO’s latest pathetic statement is nothing more than a desperate smear campaign to distract from the truth. They accuse me of “misrepresenting facts” and making “baseless allegations.” Yet, they can’t give a single example—because there aren’t any. They aren’t protecting staff; they’re protecting themselves. Let’s be clear: At least 16 of the complaints against me have come directly from the Mayor and the CAO—not from residents. This isn’t about ethics. This is targeted political persecution. They have weaponized the Integrity Commissioner—who, by the way, is paid by the city—to try and silence me for doing my job. And why? Because I tell the truth. Because I expose their lies. Because I refuse to bow to their corruption. The real reason they fear me—I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, “If I were to become Mayor, I would use strong mayor powers for good. I would fire the CAO, the City Solicitor, and a bunch of the directors—because corruption starts at the top. I would tear down City Hall, rebuild it from the ground up, and give it back to the people.” And they know it. They have a lot to lose if the truth comes out—jobs, power, control—that’s why they’re so desperate to silence me. Did you know the CAO alone makes over $250,000 a year? That’s over $4,000 a week. Now ask yourself, don’t you think that’s a strong motive to keep coming after me with their smear campaigns? They have a lot to lose if I become Mayor because I won’t protect their corruption—I’ll expose it. Again, approximately 99.9% of the complaints sent to the city-paid Integrity Commissioner over this past year come from just two people—the Mayor and the CAO—using your tax dollars. And now, suddenly, CUPE 129 has issued a “statement of support” to the Mayor and CAO. But guess who’s a major player in CUPE 129? The CAO’s husband. Do you see how this is all connected? The bottom line is this: This is what happens when you’re directly over the target. They are using me as a distraction to keep you from seeing what’s really going on—how your tax dollars are being misused, how lies are being covered up, and how backroom deals are being protected. This entire house of cards will collapse. That’s why they're attacking me—not because I’m wrong, but because I’m right. Go to my YouTube Lisa Robinson to watch the videos and sign up to keep up-to-date… All the evidence is there! I am Councillor Lisa Robinson, The Peoples Councillor.