Bra protest at Rick Chiarelli's office demands law to remove councillors for misconduct
Bill to make such changes died when Ontario's parliament was dissolved
Colourful bras hung from the trees outside the ward office of Ottawa city Coun. Rick Chiarelli in Nepean on Thursday as protesters once again calledfor himto be removed from office.
The embattled College ward councillorhas faced multiple harassment allegations since CBC began breaking stories in 2019 about inappropriate behaviour,includingpressuring employees and job applicants to go braless to certain work events.
A sixth complainant recently came forward to CBC with new allegations,including that Chiarellilaunched a weeks-long campaign in 2014 to pressure her to perform oral sex on a stranger in exchange for cash, and alsomade her go out on a date with a potential contact.
Integrity commissionerKaren Shepherd has launched aformal investigation into the woman'scomplaints.
The demonstrators outside Chiarelli's officeThursday saidthey want the provincetoenact legislation allowing municipalities tooustcouncillors who, like Chiarelli, are found to havecommitted misconduct.
While an investigation into the most recent allegations is ongoing, two prior integrity commissioner investigationsfound Chiarelli's behaviour qualified as harassment under the city's policies.
"These bras here are kind of representing how he's still there," former Chiarelli employee Stephanie Dobbssaid. "Reminding people how ridiculous it is that somebody got away with doing this."
This is the second bra-hangingprotest aboutChiarellithe first was heldoutside city hall in 2019 after the initial stories broke. Dobbs, who formally complained about Chiarelli's conductat that time,saidit's hard to reckon with the fact that the councillor has not been removed from office.
Bill to remove councillors for misconductdies
A bill that would have addressed thedemands of protesters died earlier this week when the provincial government was dissolved and the provincial election campaign began.
Bill 10, introduced as a private member'sbill by Orlans MPP Stephen Blais Chiarelli'sformer colleague on Ottawa city council would have allowed for the removal of councillors who contravene the code of conduct by failing to comply with workplace violence or harassment policies.
It had only passed second readingby the time the provincial legislaturewas dissolved this week.
"It's just very upsetting that we have to fight so hard for something that seems very basic to me," Dobbs said.
Thehighest sanction the city's integrity commissioner isallowed to recommendis a 90-day pay suspension. In 2020, council voted unanimously to give Chiarelli five90-day suspensions, one for each of the five formal complaints investigated at the time. Hissalary wassuspendedfor a total of450 days.
Ottawa city council urged Chiarelli to resign,but the councillor refused.
WATCH | Protesters hope for legislative change as Rick Chiarelli remains in office
Need for new rules election issue, advocates say
With the election approaching, advocates say they don't want Bill 10 to be forgotten.
"We want every candidate to say how much they care about this issue ... so that if they're elected, they'll prioritize it when the session starts," said Erin Leigh,executive director of the Ottawa Coalition To End Violence Against Women.
Leigh saidshe hopes legislation like Bill 10 will go before the province and receive unanimous consent.
"We need to make sure that egregious acts of violence and abuse are not tolerated. Right now, it sends the message that it's OK, and abusive lawmakers make abusive laws."
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