THREAD:
It's no surprise to anyone that Terry Whitehead's behaviour is a source of concern. He routinely bullies staff, council colleagues and members of the public with impunity. But it's getting worse, and we need to talk about it.
1/

Yesterday, he threatened to deploy the Integrity Commissioner (IC) complaint process against Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion @HCCI1, an independent charitable organization working to make Hamilton more inclusive and welcoming to everyone. 2/
https://twitter.com/terrywhitehead/status/1311396272247635968

It's difficult to overstate just how deeply troubling an abuse of power this is. 3/

The IC position was created as an oversight mechanism to hold *Councillors* accountable for upholding the Council Code of Conduct. 4/
https://www.hamilton.ca/sites/default/files/media/browser/2018-05-29/bylaw16-290consolidation.pdf

The IC position was established under By-law 16-288 in order to receive and investigate complaints against members of Council, and to provide advice to Council members on matters of ethics and conduct. 5/
https://www.hamilton.ca/sites/default/files/media/browser/2016-10-28/16-288v2.pdf

Note that the IC does not have authority over council. It can only provide advice and make recommendations. 6/

Council also has a code of conduct for appointees to advisory committees and task forces. 7/
https://www.hamilton.ca/sites/default/files/media/browser/2020-03-05/advisory-committee-code-conduct.pdf

Though the IC bylaw only refers to complaints against Council members and the Advisory Committee CoC says nothing about the IC, the City's position seems to be that the IC can also investigate complaints against appointees (I've asked the city for clarification). 8/

But while the IC was not created to target volunteers sitting on advisory committees, it was CERTAINLY not created to target independent community organizations! 9/

And yet, here we are. The Integrity Commissioner just investigated a complaint against a volunteer member of an advisory committee after a complaint *by* Council, and now a Council member is threatening to sic the Integrity Commissioner on a charity. 10/

In a follow-up, Whitehead even threatened to investigate a private citizen. 11/
https://twitter.com/terrywhitehead/status/1311412030969188358

How ominous and chilling is that threat? Perhaps *anyone* can be subject to an IC investigation, if Council decides they have authority to make a formal (yet secret) complaint. 12/

Surely everyone can agree that this is WHOLLY UNACCEPTABLE behaviour from a Councillor bound by the Council Code of Conduct. How ironic that he has weaponized an agency that is supposed to hold him accountable against the very people trying to hold him accountable. 13/

This city is in civic disarray. The lifers on council are out of control. How many more times do they need to show us what they really are before we have a real think about whether we want them to be our leaders and representatives? 14/14

PS. There's never a bad time to make a donation to an excellent charitable organization like @HCCI1, but now would be an especially good time to show your support: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/8017  #HamOnt