A London, Ont., councillor, Sam Trosow, recently raised eyebrows after being caught on camera drinking what appeared to be a beer during a virtual council meeting on September 24. Trosow, who was out of town at the time, turned on his camera during the meeting and took a sip of a frothy, amber-colored beverage while indicating he wished to comment on the city’s plan. When asked about the incident, Trosow mentioned that he was unsure whether the beverage was a beer or a near-beer as he was six hours ahead in a different time zone. While Trosow remains out of town until Sunday, other council members have received feedback from the public regarding the incident.
Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis noted that some members of the community had reached out to him after the council meeting with concerns about Trosow drinking beer during the meeting. He mentioned that it is not the responsibility of council members to police each other and directed those interested in the matter to the integrity commissioner’s office for further action. Although the code of conduct for councillors does not explicitly state anything about drinking alcohol during meetings, it does emphasize the importance of maintaining decorum. John Mascarin, a Toronto lawyer specializing in municipal politics, stated that it is expected for council members attending formal meetings to show respect and not consume alcoholic beverages.
According to Mascarin, treating a formal meeting with proper respect includes being properly attired, refraining from using profane language, and avoiding the consumption of alcoholic beverages. While the code of conduct may not explicitly mention these behaviors, it is generally understood as an implied duty of council members. Lewis mentioned that he is unsure if any complaints have been lodged with the integrity commissioner regarding Trosow’s actions, as it is not standard practice to inform council members about complaints lodged against their colleagues. Trosow acknowledged that his actions were a lapse in judgment and expressed readiness to accept any consequences, including potential integrity commissioner complaints.
Despite the controversy surrounding Trosow’s actions, he expressed regret that the incident had distracted from the crucial debate during the council meeting. He acknowledged that there may be integrity commissioner complaints as a result of his behavior, and he is prepared to face the consequences of any such process. While the specific details of the incident, such as the nature of the beverage consumed, remain uncertain, Trosow is willing to address the situation and accept any disciplinary actions that may arise. The incident has sparked a conversation about the expectations for council members’ behavior during official meetings and the importance of upholding decorum and professionalism in such settings.
