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In any functioning democracy, a motion is approved or defeated based on the merits of the motion.

Not in Pickering, Ont., where a vendetta by the mayor and council continues against Coun. Lisa Robinson.

By way of background, astute viewers will recall that Robinson has been docked 21 months’ salary (!) for espousing “wrong thought”. Another three-month penalty is pending because Robinson had the temerity to call out the hoax that is the death toll at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in B.C. (Alas, in Carney’s Canada, one cannot call out a hoax as being a hoax if the truth offends a certain demographic…)

But get this: recently, Robinson proposed two motions regarding public safety. We would wager that 95% of Pickering constituents would be supportive of these motions.

But because it was Robinson proposing these motions, the “mean girls” on council wanted nothing to do with it and nobody would second the motions, effectively killing the motions.

The first motion states:

1. WHEREAS, the protection of children and vulnerable persons must be a primary priority within Canada’s criminal justice system;

And Whereas, communities across Ontario and Canada are increasingly concerned about serious offences against children, including sexual exploitation, human trafficking, luring, and violent harm;

And Whereas, many of these offences involve repeat offenders or individuals who have previously come into contact with the justice system;

And Whereas, there is growing concern that current sentencing, bail, and parole frameworks do not adequately reflect the severity and long-term impact of crimes committed against children;

And Whereas, cases involving serious harm to children have raised concerns about early release, reintegration practices, and the adequacy of safeguards to prevent reoffending;

And Whereas, public confidence in the justice system depends on ensuring that penalties reflect the gravity of the offence and that community safety is prioritized;

And Whereas, the Government of Canada has the authority to amend the Criminal Code and related legislation governing sentencing, bail, and parole;

Now therefore be it resolved that the Council of The Corporation of the City of Pickering directs staff to:

1. Call upon the Government of Canada to undertake a comprehensive review of the Criminal Code of Canada, as well as federal bail and parole frameworks, as they relate to offences involving children; and,

2. That such review include consideration of stronger sentencing provisions, limitations on early release, and enhanced safeguards to prevent repeat offending in cases involving serious harm to children; and,

3. That the Government of Canada be urged to examine whether current parole and reintegration practices adequately protect the public, particularly in cases involving violent or sexual offences against minors; and,

4. That the Province of Ontario be requested to advocate for these reforms and review provincial monitoring and community safety measures related to high-risk offenders; and,

5. That this resolution be circulated to the Prime Minister of Canada, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, the Minister of Public Safety, all Members of Parliament, the Premier of Ontario, the Attorney General of Ontario, all Members of Provincial Parliament, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), and all Ontario municipalities.

Well, when it comes to Pickering City Council, that’s just crazy talk!

Here’s the second motion. (Spoiler alert: this one also went down to defeat):

WHEREAS, the protection of children and vulnerable persons is among the most fundamental responsibilities of all levels of government in Canada;

And Whereas, communities across Ontario and Canada are increasingly concerned about the safety of children in light of growing awareness of sexual exploitation, human trafficking, luring, and other offences targeting vulnerable persons;

And Whereas, offences related to sexual exploitation and human trafficking often involve repeat offenders and complex networks, increasing the need for stronger transparency, monitoring, and community awareness measures;

And Whereas, the federal Sex Offender Information Registration Act (SOIRA) and Ontario’s Christopher’s Law establish sex offender registry systems that are accessible only to law enforcement and are not available to the public;

And Whereas, members of the public and municipalities are often left without sufficient access to information necessary to assess and respond to credible community safety risks;

And Whereas, municipal governments are on the front lines of responding to community safety concerns and are expected to protect residents without access to the full scope of relevant risk information;

And Whereas, existing community notification mechanisms for high-risk offenders are limited, inconsistent, and do not always provide timely or sufficient information to affected communities;

And Whereas, other democratic jurisdictions have implemented structured community notification systems for high-risk offenders, demonstrating that increased transparency can be balanced with appropriate legal safeguards;

And Whereas, there is an urgent need to review and modernize Canada’s legislative framework to ensure it reflects current public safety realities and prioritizes the protection of children above all;

Now therefore be it resolved that the Council of The Corporation of the City of Pickering directs staff to:

1. calls upon the Government of Canada to undertake a comprehensive review of the Sex Offender Information Registration Act (SOIRA), including consideration of enhanced community notification systems and carefully structured public access mechanisms for high-risk offenders; and,

2. the Province of Ontario be requested to conduct a parallel review of Christopher’s Law to improve transparency, strengthen municipal access to relevant public safety information, and enhance community notification frameworks; and,

3. That any such review prioritize the protection of children and vulnerable persons while ensuring consistency with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms; and

4. That this resolution be circulated to the Prime Minister of Canada, the Minister of Public Safety, all Members of Parliament, the Premier of Ontario, all Members of Provincial Parliament, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), and all Ontario municipalities.

Again: more crazy talk.

Bottom line: thanks to a politically motivated vendetta against Lisa Robinson, the City of Pickering is… anti-public safety?!

Residents of this city east of Toronto should make note that election day is Monday, Oct. 26, 2026.