Niagara Falls staff block advocate from addressing accountability after member charged with assault

Niagara Falls City Council has denied a request from women’s rights advocate Emily McIntosh to speak at an upcoming meeting, silencing her call for urgent legislative reforms designed to protect residents when elected officials face charges related to violent crimes.

McIntosh, Founder of Women of Ontario Say No (WOSN), asked to address council during its Tuesday, June 17 meeting in regard to Ontario’s proposed Municipal Accountability Act (Bill 9), currently under review by a provincial committee. Her request was rejected in a one-sentence response from City Clerk Bill Matson:

“Your request for an appointment to speak at city council is denied since it may directly relate to ongoing legal proceedings.”

Bill 9 aims to strengthen oversight of municipal elected officials in Ontario. Among its proposed reforms are clearer mechanisms for suspending or removing councillors found guilty of egregious misconduct. McIntosh and WOSN are advocating for amendments that would place councillors charged with assault on automatic leave, and remove them if convicted—reforms they say are critical for public safety and democratic integrity.

The legal proceedings Matson referenced involve Councillor Mike Strange. As reported by The Pointer, the former Olympic boxer was charged with assault following an incident on May 3, and released the same day under strict conditions. His case is currently before the court and was discussed on June 6 for a scheduling matter, but Councillor Strange was not present. 

He did not respond to previous requests for comment. Following the charges, he was quoted in other local media stating he has "never harmed a woman and wouldn’t under any circumstance."

McIntosh told The Pointer that when an elected official is charged under such circumstances, their continued presence on council can deter survivors and concerned residents from participating in local democracy.

Emily McIntosh, founder of Women of Ontario Say No, was denied a chance to address Niagara Falls Council about enhanced accountability mechanisms for local elected officials.

(Submitted)

Had she been allowed to speak, McIntosh said, her presentation would have focused solely on legislative reform, not any individual case. Her core proposal: automatic leave for any councillor charged with assault, and automatic removal upon conviction.

“This is a critical element to ensure accountability, consistent with standards applied to police officers, firefighters and teachers,” she said.

“It’s 2025. All women want is not to be killed, assaulted, or harassed—by anyone, including their elected representative. It seems pretty basic to me.”

WOSN has delivered similar presentations to other Ontario municipalities without issue. In Niagara Falls, McIntosh says, she encountered something different.

“This topic shines a light on a high level of protectionism around who gets to speak and when,” she said. “When women are outnumbered on council, women in general suffer.”

Councillor Mike Strange continues to sit on Niagara Falls council following assault charges; there are no legal requirements for him to step down. Advocates believe that should be changed.

(Joel Wittnebel/The Pointer files)

In response to the denial, Regional Councillor Haley Bateman—a supporter of WOSN and advocate for survivor-centered governance—emailed Matson seeking clarification. 

She noted that other councils had welcomed similar delegations and emphasized the importance of the issue. She stated the information is relevant and timely for the City, especially with a public committee hearing on Bill 9 scheduled for July in Niagara Falls.

“In speaking with members of Niagara Falls Council, many are supportive of hearing the information and having it on the agenda,” she wrote.

Matson responded, citing a procedural rule that bars public delegations during active legal proceedings involving a councillor.

“Normally, there would be no issue with a request such as this… but our procedure states that we would reject any requests for an appointment where there are ongoing legal proceedings taking place. I’m just following that procedure.”

He added that if any councillor moved to allow the delegation—and it was seconded and approved—McIntosh would be permitted to speak for five minutes, after the other delegations already included on the agenda.

There is no rule under any legislation pertaining to council procedure, which prevents a delegate from speaking on a matter of public interest, even if a municipal council member is facing criminal charges related to the issue. 

For example, if a councillor was charged for bribery related to a planning application, that would not prevent delegates from addressing the planning issue broadly, or even the same application related to the criminal charge.  

Councillor Bateman pushed back. She pointed out that WOSN’s legislative work predates the charges against Councillor Strange by years, and that Matson’s reasoning was inconsistent with Council’s claim that Strange’s ability to remain on council while his criminal case works its way through the court system does not impact the work of local government. The Province’s proposed legislation, which is the focus of an upcoming public meeting that will address the need for accountability over local elected officials, was introduced prior to Strange’s assault charge. But because of his presence the public will not be allowed to address the broader issue, even if they avoid Strange’s specific case, illustrating the need to have council members take a leave when facing a criminal charge, so that decision making can continue.

“It’s confusing that you would use this as a reason to deny her a delegation, and at the same time claim this charge does not affect his work as a councillor,” McIntosh said, adding that the denial reflects a deeper issue.

“When my request to speak was denied, it de facto prioritized the comfort of the person charged with physical assault over the democratic right to address an important legislative issue. This is wrong.”

She argues that the decision to deny any delegations related to an important piece of proposed provincial legislation to address municipal accountability, not only blocks dialogue, it signals to survivors and advocates that their concerns are unwelcome in public forums.

Niagara Falls Council meets Tuesday, June 17 at 4:00 p.m. 

As of publication, McIntosh and WOSN remain unable to address council.

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