Councillors in Ontario town sanctioned for racism allegations [Video]

A pair of Whitby councillors who accused their colleagues of racism at a raucous meeting in October were docked a week’s pay Monday after the town’s Integrity Commissioner ruled they had violated council’s Code of Conduct.

The vote was 6-1 at the closed-door meeting to sanction councillors Chris Leahy and Steve Yamada with Yamada’s Ward 4 local councillor colleague Victoria Bozinovski casting the dissenting vote.

Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy said the report from Principles Integrity’s Jeffrey Abrams “underscores the importance” of members of council upholding the town’s Code of Conduct.

“We take these violations seriously and are committed to maintaining the highest standards of behavior among our elected officials.”

The meeting in October had to be adjourned early after Leahy claimed his colleague and political ally Steve Yamada had faced “ongoing anti-Asian racism” that led him to resign his role as deputy mayor in June.

Leahy was told to apologize …