Hamilton council’s tensions with Terry Whitehead boil over

The city's vaccine policy for employees. A disputed lease for a heritage property. A plan to freeze the urban boundary.

They were among the weighty issues that Hamilton council debated this week.

But Coun. Terry Whitehead - with his interruptions, clashes with colleagues and angry rants - became another.

After a full day of deliberations Wednesday, the vitriol came to a head for some shell-shocked city politicians.

The meeting had been an embarrassment," Coun. John-Paul Danko declared.

So much so that Danko took the unusual step of devoting the entirety of his end-of-session statement by members" time, normally dedicated to public service announcements, to address his Mountain colleague's behaviour.

The harassment; the belligerence; speaking out of turn; the inability to request to speak and forever bickering about it - every single time; speaking over the chair; speaking over other councillors," he said.

The behaviour that was on display today, frankly, is toxic for all of us," added Danko, who was elected in November 2018. It's toxic to the reputation of our municipality."

Danko, who likened Whitehead to a toddler throwing a tantrum," said the issue wasn't limited to Wednesday's meeting, but a pattern of destructive conduct that has wasted the public's time and tax-funded resources during the term.

In response, Whitehead - seated at his computer at home but projected on a screen to Danko and other councillors who were around the city hall horseshoe for the first time since the pandemic took hold - defended his record.

He'd been elected by wide margins since he first took office in 2003, Whitehead said.

That doesn't happen by accident. That happens by doing your due diligence and doing your work."

Then he countered, this council's an embarrassment," before alleging some city politicians were influenced by a small contingent of social media users.

They're pretending that they're innocent, pretending that they are sanitized, that they are respectful," added Whitehead, his rage escalating. Meanwhile, they're sticking the knives in our backs."

During the meeting, Coun. Maureen Wilson, as chair, asked the Ward 14 councillor several times to stick to the agenda item on the floor and not interrupt. She also made attempts to rein in Coun. Esther Pauls on the topic of the city's vaccination policy.

Whitehead doggedly disputed procedure, spoke over the chair, lobbed personal jabs and shouted during sometimes confusing rants throughout the long session.

During one testy exchange with Wilson, he seemed to speak of vaccinations and internal politics.

I'm asking my council colleagues to watch evil take place and stand by and do nothing about it? It is wrong and puts you in that position too."

More than once, Whitehead - who rocked back and forth in his chair and waved his hands during tirades - argued he, in fact, was the one being interrupted and unfairly cut off.

I'm being called a bully," he said during his closing remarks without offering details.

Did one councillor stand up and say, Pull that back. That's not parliamentary?' Not one. Not one of you did that. So for you or anyone else to stand up and boldly say that I'm out of order, maybe you should start taking a look at the mirror."

During one protracted segment, Coun. Sam Merulla tried to move the agenda forward, suggesting nothing was to be gained through the discourse.

And I know we're in a silly season," he said, referring to lead-up to the October municipal election, but this discussion's not going anywhere."

At one point, an irritated unidentified councillor participating virtually, said, Put the f---ing vote up."

In another display of frustration, Coun. Brad Clark objected to Whitehead cutting him off, calling it incredibly disrespectful" to interrupt colleagues.

Tensions with Whitehead have been simmering for some time.

In November 2021, the city's integrity commissioner found he had bullied and harassed staff, which led to council endorsing a penalty that docked 30 days from his pay.

Whitehead, who rejected the commissioner's findings, was also relegated to only communicating with senior staff in a measure to shield lower-ranking employees from him.

The probe was sparked by a complaint over his aggressive barrage of rapid-fire questions" directed at a staff member over a road diet" on Aberdeen Avenue during a September 2020 public works meeting.

The report said the councillor treated the roads official like a hostile witness under cross-examination" before Danko, who was chair, ejected him from the meeting.

In a prepared statement at the time, Whitehead said he'd asked high-level bureaucrats tough questions on behalf of Hamilton residents."

He also told his colleagues he had an incurable problem" that led to mental-health problems, including depression and anxiety, during a lengthy sick leave for an undisclosed illness.

Whitehead, who has limited his participation in meetings since his return from leave but says he's seeking re-election, has displayed moments of contrition amid the combativeness.

During an April 20 meeting, he accused staff of blocking" people from appearing before council to speak about the city's vaccination policy.

After initially bickering with Mayor Fred Eisenberger and chair Coun. Nrinder Nann about offering a genuine apology, Whitehead changed tack.

I probably have taken some of my personal experiences with staff and unfortunately, in fact, embellished some of those experiences with my comments today and ... I apologize unequivocally for and actually withdraw my statements."

The disruptions are based on a number of factors that have interfered with my ability to do my job on behalf of my constituents, communications and so forth," he added.

At the end of Wednesday's meeting, which also featured a gallery full of workers and supporters rallying against the city's termination-based vaccination policy, Wilson also offered her take.

When we come and deliberate and we are not prepared; when we are bullying; when we consistently, constantly, regularly, predictably interrupt, we diminish this institution and we put at risk our very ability to attract the rich competency of the people who give us their best counsel," she said.

I implore all of us to reject that kind of service. Reject it every single time you can. Hamilton deserves our best efforts. We did not see that on display today. We must do better."

Teviah Moro is a reporter at The Spectator. tmoro@thespec.com