Coun. Stevenson reprimanded for social media posts about homeless Londoners, vows to fight integrity investigation

There were fireworks at the final city council meeting of 2023 — but it wasn’t the year-end celebratory kind.

On Tuesday, council debated imposing a penalty on Ward 4’s Susan Stevenson for posts on social media platform X that an investigation by London’s Integrity Commissioner determined violated the Council Code of Conduct.

Ten complaints were filed by the public in September after Stevenson posted photos of several homeless individuals accompanied by references to criminal activity and vandalism.

“We find that the photos reflected an invasion of privacy of those homeless individuals,” explained Integrity Commissioner Janice Atwood of Principles Integrity.

The Integrity Commissioner determined that the posts violated rule seven (discreditable conduct) of the Council Code of Conduct that requires council members to treat members of the public appropriately and without abuse, bullying or intimidation.

However, Stevenson used her speaking time during the council meeting to launch a blistering attack on the investigative process.

She asserted the Integrity Commissioner failed to follow the city’s investigation procedures that require formally notifying councillors of a complaint and giving them an opportunity to respond in writing before a determination is reached.

“Council would be setting a precedent that any councillor can wake up one day to discover that they have been found to have breached the Code of Conduct without any due process whatsoever,” she warned colleagues.

A post to social media including Londoners experiencing homelessness, posted on Sept. 23, 2023. (Source: X)

Anticipating Stevenson’s concerns, Atwood had tried to pre-emptively address the issue during her presentation council and said, “If her view was [that] she did not have adequate notice, she certainly was given that opportunity before the investigation was completed.”

Penalties for violating Council’s Code of Conduct range from a formal reprimand to a suspension of pay for three months.

The Integrity Commissioner recommended a reprimand.

Coun. Skylar Franke agreed, and put forward an amendment to impose a formal reprimand.

“The member has shown no remorse and has had many opportunities. So in my opinion, the reprimand is a way that we can hold ourselves accountable,” she explained. “Being accountable for actions or something that comes with this role.”

“I’ve heard the process was not followed,” said Coun. Anna Hopkins during the debate. “But I think what is more important is that as elected officials that we hold ourselves to a higher level.”

Despite being warned by the Integrity Commissioner that she should declare a conflict of interest and recuse herself from voting on the punishment, Stevenson still voted.

However it wasn’t enough, the formal reprimand was approved nine to six.

Unmoved by the decision, Stevenson vowed to take her procedural concerns about the investigation to the Ontario Ombudsman or seek a judicial review in court.

“I’m left with no choice but to defend myself from these falsehoods in a different forum,” she said.