Former Chiarelli staffer 'beyond appalled' bill to oust abusive councillors voted down

A former staffer of longtime Ottawa councillor Rick Chiarelli said she was crushed this week when a majority of Ontario MPPs voted down a private members' bill that would give municipalities the power to oust politicians for harassment and violence.

"I am beyond appalled and upset at this situation," said Stephanie Dobbs by phone on Thursday.

Dobbs was at the Ontario legislature Tuesday when the Stopping Harassment and Abuse by Local Leaders Act, or Bill 5, had a second reading. She saw it fail during a vocal count before being defeated in a formal vote the following day.

"It's hurtful because they're trying to kill something that would help save people," Dobbs said, referring to the bill.

"[The power to oust a councillor] exists for financial impropriety. Why do we care more about a dollar than a human being?"

Dobbs was one of several employees CBC spoke with in a series of stories about Chiarelli's conduct around female employees. Former staffers alleged a range of bad behaviour, including setting up visits to nightclubs to recruit volunteers and pressuring women to go braless or to wear revealing clothing.

Dobbs said a conversation with Chiarelli, who was her boss, prompted her to make it clear to him she wasn't comfortable going braless. She said the councillor shared graphic sexual stories with her and made inappropriate comments about her body for two years.

Now working on a master's degree at Carleton University, Dobbs said she still lives with post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from the experience.

Chiarelli has repeatedly denied the allegations against him.

He was docked pay for 15 months after two integrity commissioner reports found he harassed former staff members and job applicants for years and abused his power of office. A third report led council to dock Chiarelli an additional 90 days of pay. But the city had no instrument to force Chiarelli out of council.

Orléans Liberal MPP Stephen Blais had introduced the bill — and an earlier version which died when last year's election was called — in response to Ottawa city council's experience with Chiarelli.

Partisan interests got in the way, councillor says

Almost a year ago, the Progressive Conservatives supported the previous bill just before the last election.

"Now that they don't have to face the voters for another three years the government's decided to turn their backs on the victims of harassment and abuse in the workplace," said Blais after his bill's defeat on Wednesday.

CBC reached out to several PC MPPs in eastern Ontario, including Carleton MPP Goldie Ghamari and Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MPP John Jordan who declined to speak about their decision to vote down Bill 5.

CBC also requested to speak with Brampton MPP Charmaine Williams who currently serves as Associate Minister of Women's Social and Economic Opportunity and had spoken out against the bill in the legislature.

Her office told CBC she requires "at least two weeks" notice and questions in advance "to allow for adequate scheduling and preparation."

In addition, Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark declined an interview request.

Somerset ward Coun. Ariel Troster believes partisan interests got in the way of the bill passing second reading. Private members' bills introduced by opposition party members are rarely supported by the governing parties.

Troster, who serves as council liaison on women and gender issues, moved a motion forward last month to call on Mayor Mark Sutcliffe to write to Ontario Premier Doug Ford and express support for the bill. Ontario's Big City Mayors, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the Rural Ontario Municipalities Association all supported measures in the bill. 

Troster said, as things stand now, municipalities lack the power they need to protect city staffers, people who work for councillors, as well as the councillors themselves from abusive elected officials.

The Chiarelli affair illustrates that, she said.

Could be PC version of bill coming

"There was nothing that anyone could do to compel him to resign or remove that person from office," she said. "The only thing council could do was suspend his salary for periods of three months at a time."

Blais remains confident the PCs are working on their own version of Bill 5.

"Minister (Clark) has his own version of the bill ready," he said on Wednesday. "I know because he consulted with me and the NDP critic on it a year and a half ago. I hope they bring their own bill forward."

CBC asked Clark about the potential of a Tory version of the bill. Through a spokesperson his office said the government "believes in the local democratic process and we trust voters to hold local politicians to account at the ballot box."

"We have been clear that we will not tolerate workplace harassment or discrimination of any kind. It is critical that everyone feels safe and respected in the workplace. We will continue to work with all of our municipal partners to ensure safe and respectful workplaces," the statement said. 

For Dobbs, she holds out hope something like Bill 5 will still come to pass.

"I know this needs to happen," she said. "I don't want other people to ever go through this if I can help it."