A controversial Facebook post made by a Barrie councillor in March has landed him in hot water, leading to an investigation from the city's integrity commissioner and a $100,000 civil lawsuit claiming defamation.
Barrie-Innisfil MP John Brassard issued a news release Thursday, sharing a recent City of Barrie integrity commissioner ruling that Coun. Keenan Aylwin had breached the city's Code of Conduct through a post he made March 21 regarding denouncing white supremacy abroad and in Canada.
In the social-media post, Aylwin directly referenced Brassard and Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte MP Alex Nuttall.
“While it is unwise for the integrity commissioner to intervene to referee political debate through a code complaint investigation, in the circumstance of this complaint, the Respondent Councillor (Aylwin) did denigrate and call into question the actions of a Member of Parliament for Barrie-Innisfil in his statements in the March 21 Facebook post,” integrity commissioner Suzanne Craig wrote in her ruling.
On March 21, Aylwin made a post on his public Facebook page concerning the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
“... We have to talk about the white supremacy problem we have in this country and in this community,” the Ward 2 councillor wrote.
Aylwin referenced the white supremacist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand. He wrote there are people in positions of power in Canada using racist and white supremacist rhetoric for political gain in Canada, and urged readers to make connections between that rhetoric and violence.
“We have two Conservative MPs in Barrie that have been silent on their leader’s appearance on the same stage as a neo-Nazi sympathizer, Faith Goldy, at a United We Roll Rally. This is unacceptable and it is dangerous. They are playing footsies with white supremacists who have inspired violence through Yellow Vest Canada social media channels and elsewhere,” wrote Aylwin, continuing to urge Brassard and Nuttall to denounce white supremacy and offer a clear apology.
Almost immediately, Brassard filed a complaint with Barrie’s integrity commissioner.
On April 12, both MPs filed lawsuits against Aylwin claiming defamation.
While Nuttall dropped his lawsuit on May 10, Brassard’s remains before the courts.
When reached by BarrieToday on Thursday for comment, Aylwin opted to hold back on making a full statement.
“I feel I owe it to city council and the residents of Ward 2 to speak directly to this issue at the May 27 general committee meeting before I make a statement to the media,” he said.
“As for the litigation... I have retained experienced legal counsel and I am prepared to defend the other matter in court," Aylwin added. "My legal counsel will be filing a statement of defence imminently.”
According to the statement of claim in Brassard’s defamation lawsuit against Aylwin, the MP is seeking $50,000 in general damages, $25,000 in aggravated damages and $25,000 in punitive damages.
Brassard is also asking for the immediate removal/deletion of the social-media postings and to be awarded costs.
“I am thankful for commissioner Craig’s report, the seriousness with which she dealt with this matter and her findings that Coun. Keenan Aylwin violated the city’s Code of Conduct with his baseless, repugnant and vile posting,” the Barrie-Innisfil MP stated in his news release.
“I’m pleased commissioner Craig also addressed the false claim by Aylwin that the Honourable Andrew Scheer ‘shared’ a stage with a neo-Nazi sympathizer at an oil and gas worker rally on Parliament Hill. It’s a false narrative being spread by those who are using it for pure political gain and torqued up political rhetoric to impugn the character of Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer in the lead up to the October federal election,” wrote Brassard.
According to his release, Brassard has said he will not comment further due to the ongoing civil litigation.
The integrity commissioner’s recommendations on the complaint include that council impose the penalty of a reprimand on Aylwin. In addition to the recommended penalty, Craig recommended council consider the development of a city-wide social media policy. The issue will be discussed at the May 27 meeting of council.
“I am in no way suggesting that (Aylwin) was not permitted to express his opinions denouncing white supremacy hate rhetoric and anti-immigrant groups. However, this Facebook post crossed the line of responsible conduct for a municipal councillor when (Aylwin) baselessly suggested that (Brassard) has caused harm and is associating with white supremacists,” wrote Craig in her findings.
