Councillor's posts on homelessness stir strong response and integrity commission complaint

Recent social media posts by London Coun. Susan Stevenson are triggering a strong response, prompting the reverend of a local church to file a complaint with London, Ont.'s integrity commissioner. 

The images were posted last weekend on Stevenson's X account, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. Three of the posts feature photos of people who appear to be struggling on London's streets.

In one image, people are clustered in front of a mural in Old East Village. She praises the murals, then the commentary turns to the people in the photo. 

"NOW let's address the problem," reads Stevenson's post.  "The needles, the feces, the garbage, the encampments, the open drug use, the erratic and violent behaviour, the CRIME, the VANDALISM….the lack of safety #LdnOnt.'

Another post features a photo of a man pushing a Walmart shopping cart. A text overlay on the image, which partially covers the man's face, makes these comments: 

• Where is the help for this man? 
• Where is the help for the business that "supplies" the shopping carts?
• Where is the help for the "previous owner" of the shopping cart contents?
• Where is the help so desperately needed?

Coun. Sam Trosow said those posts "cross a line" because they show potentially identifiable people with no context about their particular situation. He also said the post implies that the cart was stolen by the man.

Trosow said he worries the posts could incite violence directed at the people in the photos.

"It creates a very dangerous situation and I really wish she would just stop," said Trosow. "Nothing is gained by focusing on the images of people who are down and out and who are having some difficulty. She should show more compassion for the people in those photos."  

Stevenson, who was elected last October, has been a frequent critic of the city's homelessness response plan, which calls for the creation of neighbourhood hubs that will offer services and supports to help those who sleep outside. 

Stevenson has said the plan will have a negative effect on the businesses and residents located near the service hubs.

Trosow said he doesn't have a problem with Stevenson airing criticism about the city's response, but said she's failed to offer ideas of her own to help the estimated 2,000 Londoners who regularly sleep outside.

Stevenson's Ward 4 includes London's Old East Village, a downtown neighbourhood where London's struggles with housing affordability, homelessness and drug use are front and centre.

CBC News reached out to Stevenson on Monday for comment about the posts but she was not able to respond ahead of Monday's committee of the whole meeting at 4 p.m. This story will be updated when a response is received. 

Minister calls for council response

Rev. Kevin George of St. Aidan's Church has written a letter to Mayor Josh Morgan and members of council about the posts. He said they appear designed to boost fears about the homeless population at a time when the city is trying to put in place new services to help.

"We've been concerned for a while about the behaviour of the Ward 4 councillor, because of her ongoing dehumanization of those who are experiencing homelessness in our city" said George. 

George told CBC News he's filed a complaint with the city's integrity commissioner, an independent office which investigates alleged violations of the council code of conduct. The integrity commissioner has said in the past that it's not able to comment on complaints received.

George said he feels Stevenson may have breached the code's section 7.1 which requires councillors to deal with members of the public without resorting to "abuse, bullying or intimidation."

Ward 7 Coun. Corrine Rahman told CBC News she didn't want to comment on Stevenson's posts because they're now the subject of an integrity commissioner's report. 

However, she said elected officials need to take care in making blanket statements or judgments about an issue that is complex.

"We need to be held to a higher standard," said Rahman. 

Chuck Lazenby executive director of the Unity Project, a shelter in Stevenson's ward, said Stevenson's comments don't add helpful commentary about helping those in need.

'Having an opinion and sharing photos in this way of people who are marginalized on our streets are two different things, she doesn't have to be doing that," she said.