The mayor of Halifax is being investigated for possibly breaking the code of conduct of the city, after an independent consultant decided that the complaints had deceived the public about the government in the City Council had merit.
On July 22, Mayor Andy Fillmore told CBC’s Maritime noon I would appreciate the so -called “strong mayor powers” if the province grants. Fillmore said they are necessary because the administrative director has the greatest power in the current municipal structure, and he informs CAO.
Multiple councilors, and the current Cao Cathie O’Toole, immediately refuted that statement. In fact, they said, the CAO informs the Council, which includes the mayor.
“I felt it was quite atrocious to him,” said Halifax Jillian Banfield resident Tuesday.
As “a follower of municipal policy for a long time” and former mayor of Halifax bicycles, Banfield said he knew that Fillmore’s comments immediately were wrong.
“It is a kind of [President Donald] Tactical Trump to say something and keep saying it until people, you know, think it’s true, “said Banfield.
She is one of the two people who told CBC News who complained about the municipality of Halifax that Fillmore’s comments cheated the public, breaking a section of the Municipal Code of Conduct for elected officials.
Peter Linfield from Halifax, the second plaintiff, said he was concerned about Fillmore’s comments to “spread the wrong information” about how the Council works to strengthen his argument for strong mayor powers by describing the limitations “that may or may not exist” in the mayor’s office.
Fillmore said in a joint statement with O’Toole a few days after his radius comments that, although CAO informs the Council, the Halifax organizational list shows that the mayor’s office falls under the business unit of the CAO.
Linfield said the answer was a “dodge”, and not an adequate apology of Fillmore.
“If that is what he meant, how is that point of conversation that is worth discussing the light of strong powers of the mayor?” Linfield said.
“I don’t think it’s totally, you know, genuine and I don’t think it really addresses the underlying concern there.”
Both Banfield and Linfield said they received an email last Friday from the Municipal Secretary of Halifax to inform them that an external investigator had reviewed their complaints and decided that they have merit.
“As a result, formal investigation is required,” said the email aimed at Linfield, which was shared with CBC.
The email said that Tanya Tynski of MC Advisory will carry out the investigation. MC Advisory is a company that offers various services on human resources and research issues in the workplace based on Halifax and affiliated with Mcinnes Cooper’s law firm, according to its website.
The Halifax website said the municipality uses research and consulting and consulting for the MC workplace for both complaints on a rotational base.
Although Halifax had a code of conduct for elected officials for years, he recently adopted the new rules of the province imposed by the provincial government in 2024. The province said a simplified approach was necessary for all municipalities to work under the same expectations of behavior and investigations.
The Code said that the report of a researcher must return to the Council within six months after a complaint, which would be January 2026 that dates from a July complaint of the end of July.
Halifax councilors will discuss the issue in private and make a decision, but the Council must publicly indicate which section of the code refers to the complaint, the researcher’s recommendations and if they are imposing any sanction.
These consequences could include an apology letter, a fine of up to $ 1,000, public censorship or elimination of municipal committees for a few months.
Both Linfield and Banfield said they would like to see a Fillmore apology about their comments, at least.
“Whatever the most effective mechanism … to produce, you know, a mayor who takes his responsibility and the power that gave him more seriously,” said Banfield.
Other complaints reported
The Halifax examiner also reported on Tuesday that a complaint of the Code of Conduct on Fillmore’s decision to finish a meeting of the City Council in Cole Harbor was taken on August 25 after people expressed concerns about the decision of August 19 of the Council to grant money for the next Davis Cup tie in Halifax between Team Canada and Israel.
That complaint has also resulted in a Tynski investigation, said the examiner.
CBC News requested a comment from Fillmore’s office, but did not receive a deadline answer.
Jake Fulton, a municipal Halifax spokesman, said Tuesday that the city could not confirm if any investigation had begun “due to the personal nature of the Code of Conduct.”
Personal information is protected by the Law of the Municipal Government and the regulation of the Code of Conduct, said Fulton, who establishes that the researcher must protect the confidentiality of those involved in a complaint or investigation.
The details of formal complaints are publicly available online after the Regional Council has made its decision, Fulton said.
