Niagara
Region Anti-Racism Association 2026 Municipal Election Survey
Download our survey for school
trustee candidates here.
Download our survey for all other
municipal election candidates here.
Last update: October 25 (special
notes)
Please check back for the answers we
receive and special notes on candidates. We will be publishing answers on a
rolling basis.
Survey question topic codes:
“white supremacists”: Condemning white supremacist groups active locally
“Hitler debacle”: autographed Mein Kampf scandal
“Anti-Indigenous comments”: Anti-Indigenous comments at Niagara Falls Council
“Palestine”: Support for Palestine vs Support for Israel, Ukraine
“Niagara Police”: systemic racism in Niagara Regional Police Service
“suspension rates”: special question for trustees: publishing suspension rates by race
Shortcut by role:
Mayor (1)
Shortcut to questions white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
Shortcut to questions white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
Shortcut to questions white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
Shortcut to questions white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
Shortcut to questions white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
Shortcut to questions white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
Shortcut to questions white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
DSBN (English public) Trustee (1)
Shortcut to questions suspension rates white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
NCDSB (English Catholic) Trustee
Shortcut to questions suspension rates white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
Shortcut to questions suspension rates white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
Shortcut to questions suspension rates white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
Special notes on candidates mayor
councillor ward 3
Shortcut to questions white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
Voted against Palestine support motions as a Niagara Regional Councillor
Though he voted in favor of Niagara Regional Council asking
the Niagara Regional Police Service to drop racial profiling (now called
Collection of Identifying Information) as a Regional Councillor in 2020, when
he get on the Niagara Regional Police Service Board he did not push for this.
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Wrote about “Why Kanye was right about Anti-Semitism” on a site that has now been scrubbed.
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White supremacist groups like the Dominion Society are postering across Niagara promoting mass deportations (rebranded as “remigration” even though they want to deport non-migrants i.e. citizens as well). Until recently some municipalities like St. Catharines deliberately avoided publicly addressing this out of concern it would incentivize these groups to increase their activity. Other cities like Hamilton have publicly condemned hate groups like the Dominion Society, and last week were joined by West Lincoln, Grimsby, Lincoln, and the mayor of St. Catharines.
Do you:
a. Believe it’s better not to give attention to these groups by condemning them
b. Commit to publicly condemning these groups, now as a candidate, and as an elected official, and to advocating that the government body you are elected to condemn these groups publicly
c. Believe these are not white supremacist groups or there is nothing wrong with their postering
d. Support the idea of “remigration” promoted by these groups
e. Other:
|
Natashia Bergen |
B. Commit to publicly condemning these groups, now as a candidate, and as an elected official, and to advocating that the government body you are elected to condemn these groups publicly |
|
Pat Chiocchio (special note) |
Response not received yet |
|
David Clow |
Response not received yet |
|
Gary Graziani |
Response not received yet |
|
April Jeffs |
Response not received yet |
|
David McLeod |
Response not received yet |
|
Brandon Simon (special note) |
Response not received yet |
|
Graham Speck |
Response not received yet |
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Niagara Regional Council Chair Bob Gale resigned mere hours after he was exposed for buying, owning, and authenticating Nazi memorabilia. The mayors of Niagara Falls and Pelham said he did nothing wrong and is just a collector, while the mayor of St. Catharines said this was a distraction from “really important” things. Very few elected officials condemned Bob Gale.
Do you:
a. Condemn Bob Gale for owning Nazi memorabilia
b. Believe Bob Gale did nothing wrong
c. Other:
|
Natashia Bergen |
a. Condemn Bob Gale for owning Nazi memorabilia |
|
Pat Chiocchio (special note) |
Response not received yet |
|
David Clow |
Response not received yet |
|
Gary Graziani |
Response not received yet |
|
April Jeffs |
Response not received yet |
|
David McLeod |
Response not received yet |
|
Brandon Simon (special note) |
Response not received yet |
|
Graham Speck |
Response not received yet |
Do you also:
a. Believe this scandal is a distraction from “really important” issues
b. Believe top officials collecting autographed hate propaganda like Mein Kampf is a “really important” issue and racism, not a distraction
c. Other:
|
Natashia Bergen |
b. Believe top officials collecting autographed hate propaganda like Mein Kampf is a “really important” issue and racism, not a distraction |
|
Pat Chiocchio (special note) |
Response not received yet |
|
David Clow |
Response not received yet |
|
Gary Graziani |
Response not received yet |
|
April Jeffs |
Response not received yet |
|
David McLeod |
Response not received yet |
|
Brandon Simon (special note) |
Response not received yet |
|
Graham Speck |
Response not received yet |
At a press conference on April 2nd Minister Flack was asked how another “Hitler debacle” could be avoided. Can you confirm you do not have, nor have you ever had, nor will you ever have, Nazi memorabilia?
a. Yes
b. No
c. It’s your personal business or doesn’t matter
d. Other:
|
Natashia Bergen |
a.
Yes |
|
Pat Chiocchio (special note) |
Response not received yet |
|
David Clow |
Response not received yet |
|
Gary Graziani |
Response not received yet |
|
April Jeffs |
Response not received yet |
|
David McLeod |
Response not received yet |
|
Brandon Simon (special note) |
Response not received yet |
|
Graham Speck |
Response not received yet |
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The Niagara Falls mayor said it was “out of context,” “misconstrued,” and a “split hair” to condemn comments by the ex-CAO at a City Council meeting saying Indigenous evacuees out in public would be seen as “homeless” by residents.
Statements by the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre condemned the ex-CAO’s comments for reinforcing stereotypes and ignoring that all Indigenous peoples have every right to be on their own land.
Do you:
a. Believe the ex-CAO’s comments were taken “out of context,” “misconstrued,” or a “split hair”
b. Agree with the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre in condemning the ex-CAO’s comments for amplifying racism.
c. Other:
|
Natashia Bergen |
b. Agree with the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre in condemning the ex-CAO’s comments for amplifying racism. |
|
Pat Chiocchio (special note) |
Response not received yet |
|
David Clow |
Response not received yet |
|
Gary Graziani |
Response not received yet |
|
April Jeffs |
Response not received yet |
|
David McLeod |
Response not received yet |
|
Brandon Simon (special note) |
Response not received yet |
|
Graham Speck |
Response not received yet |
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Niagara Regional Council and several municipalities like St. Catharines, Welland, Grimsby, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Thorold and Lincoln have passed motions supporting Ukraine, and some motions supported military escalation.
Niagara Regional Councillors also unanimously “sanctioned” themselves from Russia, which is not how sanctions against individuals work.
Niagara Regional Council also lit their “Everyone Welcome” sign in Israel’s colours and the City of St. Catharines officially sided with Israel (“rally for Israel”) in a statement by a city councillor on behalf of the mayor.
Yet many elected officials said expressing similar support for Palestinians is out of their jurisdiction, would be divisive, or would be traumatizing.
Do you:
a. Believe Palestine is not a municipal issue and so should not be addressed, though Ukraine and Israel are
b. Believe governments should express support for Palestinians, they did for Ukrainians and Israelis
c. Other:
|
Natashia Bergen |
b. Believe governments should express support for Palestinians, they did for Ukrainians and Israelis |
|
Pat Chiocchio (special note) |
Response not received yet |
|
David Clow |
Response not received yet |
|
Gary Graziani |
Response not received yet |
|
April Jeffs |
Response not received yet |
|
David McLeod |
Response not received yet |
|
Brandon Simon (special note) |
Response not received yet |
|
Graham Speck |
Response not received yet |
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Niagara Regional Police have had the second worst disproportional use of force against Black people (% of use of force incidents vs % of population) in the province since publishing this data was required by the Ontario Anti-Racism Act. It has been up to almost 10x disproportional: in 2025, 26% of the use of force was against Black people who were less than 3% of the population in the 2021 census. This is the same as Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, which the US Department of Justice called “discriminatory.”
Neighbouring police forces such as Hamilton, Peel and Toronto, who are less disproportional than Niagara, have apologized for their own systemic racism in their disproportional use of force.
Yet the Police Chief, when he was Deputy Chief, said the data shows there is no systemic racism in the Niagara Police. One Police Board member who is running for mayor of Wainfleet had said in 2020 as a Niagara Regional Councillor that systemic racism is a “shadowy term…bandied about.”
To our knowledge none of the Police Board members have mentioned disproportional use of force against Black people, including the Board Chair who used to be co-chair of the Police Chief’s Community Inclusion Council, and one Board member who is a Regional Councillor and chairs the Niagara Regional Council’s Diversity Equity Inclusion Advisory Committee.
Do you:
a. Condemn systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police based on their own use of force by race data and call for an apology and addressing the disproportional use of force by race against Black people
b. Believe data does not show systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police
c. Believe “systemic racism” is a “shadowy term…bandied about”
d. Both b and c
e. Other:
|
Natashia Bergen |
a. Condemn systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police based on their own use of force by race data and call for an apology and addressing the disproportional use of force by race against Black people |
|
Pat Chiocchio (special note) |
Response not received yet |
|
David Clow |
Response not received yet |
|
Gary Graziani |
Response not received yet |
|
April Jeffs |
Response not received yet |
|
David McLeod |
Response not received yet |
|
Brandon Simon (special note) |
Response not received yet |
|
Graham Speck |
Response not received yet |
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Shortcut to questions white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
White supremacist groups like the Dominion Society are postering across Niagara promoting mass deportations (rebranded as “remigration” even though they want to deport non-migrants i.e. citizens as well). Until recently some municipalities like St. Catharines deliberately avoided publicly addressing this out of concern it would incentivize these groups to increase their activity. Other cities like Hamilton have publicly condemned hate groups like the Dominion Society, and last week were joined by West Lincoln, Grimsby, Lincoln, and the mayor of St. Catharines.
Do you:
a. Believe it’s better not to give attention to these groups by condemning them
b. Commit to publicly condemning these groups, now as a candidate, and as an elected official, and to advocating that the government body you are elected to condemn these groups publicly
c. Believe these are not white supremacist groups or there is nothing wrong with their postering
d. Support the idea of “remigration” promoted by these groups
e. Other:
|
Kiron Bondale |
b. Commit to publicly condemning these groups, now as a candidate, and as an elected official, and to advocating that the government body you are elected to condemn these groups publicly |
|
Jessica LaHay |
Response not received yet |
|
Adam Moote |
Response not received yet |
|
Josh Sawatsky |
Response not received yet |
|
Brad Ulch |
Response not received yet |
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Niagara Regional Council Chair Bob Gale resigned mere hours after he was exposed for buying, owning, and authenticating Nazi memorabilia. The mayors of Niagara Falls and Pelham said he did nothing wrong and is just a collector, while the mayor of St. Catharines said this was a distraction from “really important” things. Very few elected officials condemned Bob Gale.
Do you:
a. Condemn Bob Gale for owning Nazi memorabilia
b. Believe Bob Gale did nothing wrong
c. Other:
|
Kiron Bondale |
a. Condemn Bob Gale for owning Nazi memorabilia |
|
Jessica LaHay |
Response not received yet |
|
Adam Moote |
Response not received yet |
|
Josh Sawatsky |
Response not received yet |
|
Brad Ulch |
Response not received yet |
Do you also:
a. Believe this scandal is a distraction from “really important” issues
b. Believe top officials collecting autographed hate propaganda like Mein Kampf is a “really important” issue and racism, not a distraction
c. Other:
|
Kiron Bondale |
b. Believe top officials collecting autographed hate propaganda like Mein Kampf is a “really important” issue and racism, not a distraction |
|
Jessica LaHay |
Response not received yet |
|
Adam Moote |
Response not received yet |
|
Josh Sawatsky |
Response not received yet |
|
Brad Ulch |
Response not received yet |
At a press conference on April 2nd Minister Flack was asked how another “Hitler debacle” could be avoided. Can you confirm you do not have, nor have you ever had, nor will you ever have, Nazi memorabilia?
a. Yes
b. No
c. It’s your personal business or doesn’t matter
d. Other:
|
Kiron Bondale |
a. Yes |
|
Jessica LaHay |
Response not received yet |
|
Adam Moote |
Response not received yet |
|
Josh Sawatsky |
Response not received yet |
|
Brad Ulch |
Response not received yet |
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The Niagara Falls mayor said it was “out of context,” “misconstrued,” and a “split hair” to condemn comments by the ex-CAO at a City Council meeting saying Indigenous evacuees out in public would be seen as “homeless” by residents.
Statements by the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre condemned the ex-CAO’s comments for reinforcing stereotypes and ignoring that all Indigenous peoples have every right to be on their own land.
Do you:
a. Believe the ex-CAO’s comments were taken “out of context,” “misconstrued,” or a “split hair”
b. Agree with the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre in condemning the ex-CAO’s comments for amplifying racism.
c. Other:
|
Kiron Bondale |
b. Agree with the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre in condemning the ex-CAO’s comments for amplifying racism. |
|
Jessica LaHay |
Response not received yet |
|
Adam Moote |
Response not received yet |
|
Josh Sawatsky |
Response not received yet |
|
Brad Ulch |
Response not received yet |
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Niagara Regional Council and several municipalities like St. Catharines, Welland, Grimsby, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Thorold and Lincoln have passed motions supporting Ukraine, and some motions supported military escalation.
Niagara Regional Councillors also unanimously “sanctioned” themselves from Russia, which is not how sanctions against individuals work.
Niagara Regional Council also lit their “Everyone Welcome” sign in Israel’s colours and the City of St. Catharines officially sided with Israel (“rally for Israel”) in a statement by a city councillor on behalf of the mayor.
Yet many elected officials said expressing similar support for Palestinians is out of their jurisdiction, would be divisive, or would be traumatizing.
Do you:
a. Believe Palestine is not a municipal issue and so should not be addressed, though Ukraine and Israel are
b. Believe governments should express support for Palestinians, they did for Ukrainians and Israelis
c. Other:
|
Kiron Bondale |
b. Believe governments should express support for Palestinians, they did for Ukrainians and Israelis |
|
Jessica LaHay |
Response not received yet |
|
Adam Moote |
Response not received yet |
|
Josh Sawatsky |
Response not received yet |
|
Brad Ulch |
Response not received yet |
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Niagara Regional Police have had the second worst disproportional use of force against Black people (% of use of force incidents vs % of population) in the province since publishing this data was required by the Ontario Anti-Racism Act. It has been up to almost 10x disproportional: in 2025, 26% of the use of force was against Black people who were less than 3% of the population in the 2021 census. This is the same as Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, which the US Department of Justice called “discriminatory.”
Neighbouring police forces such as Hamilton, Peel and Toronto, who are less disproportional than Niagara, have apologized for their own systemic racism in their disproportional use of force.
Yet the Police Chief, when he was Deputy Chief, said the data shows there is no systemic racism in the Niagara Police. One Police Board member who is running for mayor of Wainfleet had said in 2020 as a Niagara Regional Councillor that systemic racism is a “shadowy term…bandied about.”
To our knowledge none of the Police Board members have mentioned disproportional use of force against Black people, including the Board Chair who used to be co-chair of the Police Chief’s Community Inclusion Council, and one Board member who is a Regional Councillor and chairs the Niagara Regional Council’s Diversity Equity Inclusion Advisory Committee.
Do you:
a. Condemn systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police based on their own use of force by race data and call for an apology and addressing the disproportional use of force by race against Black people
b. Believe data does not show systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police
c. Believe “systemic racism” is a “shadowy term…bandied about”
d. Both b and c
e. Other:
|
Kiron Bondale |
a. Condemn systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police based on their own use of force by race data and call for an apology and addressing the disproportional use of force by race against Black people |
|
Jessica LaHay |
Response not received yet |
|
Adam Moote |
Response not received yet |
|
Josh Sawatsky |
Response not received yet |
|
Brad Ulch |
Response not received yet |
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Councillor – Ward 2
Shortcut to questions white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
White supremacist groups like the Dominion Society are postering across Niagara promoting mass deportations (rebranded as “remigration” even though they want to deport non-migrants i.e. citizens as well). Until recently some municipalities like St. Catharines deliberately avoided publicly addressing this out of concern it would incentivize these groups to increase their activity. Other cities like Hamilton have publicly condemned hate groups like the Dominion Society, and last week were joined by West Lincoln, Grimsby, Lincoln, and the mayor of St. Catharines.
Do you:
a. Believe it’s better not to give attention to these groups by condemning them
b. Commit to publicly condemning these groups, now as a candidate, and as an elected official, and to advocating that the government body you are elected to condemn these groups publicly
c. Believe these are not white supremacist groups or there is nothing wrong with their postering
d. Support the idea of “remigration” promoted by these groups
e. Other:
|
Nick Albano |
Response not received yet |
|
Vince DiMauro |
Response not received yet |
|
Carolyn Fast |
Response not received yet |
|
Aldo Parrotta |
Response not received yet |
|
Leo Van Vliet |
Response not received yet |
|
Steve Yochim |
Response not received yet |
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Niagara Regional Council Chair Bob Gale resigned mere hours after he was exposed for buying, owning, and authenticating Nazi memorabilia. The mayors of Niagara Falls and Pelham said he did nothing wrong and is just a collector, while the mayor of St. Catharines said this was a distraction from “really important” things. Very few elected officials condemned Bob Gale.
Do you:
a. Condemn Bob Gale for owning Nazi memorabilia
b. Believe Bob Gale did nothing wrong
c. Other:
|
Nick Albano |
Response not received yet |
|
Vince DiMauro |
Response not received yet |
|
Carolyn Fast |
Response not received yet |
|
Aldo Parrotta |
Response not received yet |
|
Leo Van Vliet |
Response not received yet |
|
Steve Yochim |
Response not received yet |
Do you also:
a. Believe this scandal is a distraction from “really important” issues
b. Believe top officials collecting autographed hate propaganda like Mein Kampf is a “really important” issue and racism, not a distraction
c. Other:
|
Nick Albano |
Response not received yet |
|
Vince DiMauro |
Response not received yet |
|
Carolyn Fast |
Response not received yet |
|
Aldo Parrotta |
Response not received yet |
|
Leo Van Vliet |
Response not received yet |
|
Steve Yochim |
Response not received yet |
At a press conference on April 2nd Minister Flack was asked how another “Hitler debacle” could be avoided. Can you confirm you do not have, nor have you ever had, nor will you ever have, Nazi memorabilia?
a. Yes
b. No
c. It’s your personal business or doesn’t matter
d. Other:
|
Nick Albano |
Response not received yet |
|
Vince DiMauro |
Response not received yet |
|
Carolyn Fast |
Response not received yet |
|
Aldo Parrotta |
Response not received yet |
|
Leo Van Vliet |
Response not received yet |
|
Steve Yochim |
Response not received yet |
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The Niagara Falls mayor said it was “out of context,” “misconstrued,” and a “split hair” to condemn comments by the ex-CAO at a City Council meeting saying Indigenous evacuees out in public would be seen as “homeless” by residents.
Statements by the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre condemned the ex-CAO’s comments for reinforcing stereotypes and ignoring that all Indigenous peoples have every right to be on their own land.
Do you:
a. Believe the ex-CAO’s comments were taken “out of context,” “misconstrued,” or a “split hair”
b. Agree with the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre in condemning the ex-CAO’s comments for amplifying racism.
c. Other:
|
Nick Albano |
Response not received yet |
|
Vince DiMauro |
Response not received yet |
|
Carolyn Fast |
Response not received yet |
|
Aldo Parrotta |
Response not received yet |
|
Leo Van Vliet |
Response not received yet |
|
Steve Yochim |
Response not received yet |
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Niagara Regional Council and several municipalities like St. Catharines, Welland, Grimsby, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Thorold and Lincoln have passed motions supporting Ukraine, and some motions supported military escalation.
Niagara Regional Councillors also unanimously “sanctioned” themselves from Russia, which is not how sanctions against individuals work.
Niagara Regional Council also lit their “Everyone Welcome” sign in Israel’s colours and the City of St. Catharines officially sided with Israel (“rally for Israel”) in a statement by a city councillor on behalf of the mayor.
Yet many elected officials said expressing similar support for Palestinians is out of their jurisdiction, would be divisive, or would be traumatizing.
Do you:
a. Believe Palestine is not a municipal issue and so should not be addressed, though Ukraine and Israel are
b. Believe governments should express support for Palestinians, they did for Ukrainians and Israelis
c. Other:
|
Nick Albano |
Response not received yet |
|
Vince DiMauro |
Response not received yet |
|
Carolyn Fast |
Response not received yet |
|
Aldo Parrotta |
Response not received yet |
|
Leo Van Vliet |
Response not received yet |
|
Steve Yochim |
Response not received yet |
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Niagara Regional Police have had the second worst disproportional use of force against Black people (% of use of force incidents vs % of population) in the province since publishing this data was required by the Ontario Anti-Racism Act. It has been up to almost 10x disproportional: in 2025, 26% of the use of force was against Black people who were less than 3% of the population in the 2021 census. This is the same as Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, which the US Department of Justice called “discriminatory.”
Neighbouring police forces such as Hamilton, Peel and Toronto, who are less disproportional than Niagara, have apologized for their own systemic racism in their disproportional use of force.
Yet the Police Chief, when he was Deputy Chief, said the data shows there is no systemic racism in the Niagara Police. One Police Board member who is running for mayor of Wainfleet had said in 2020 as a Niagara Regional Councillor that systemic racism is a “shadowy term…bandied about.”
To our knowledge none of the Police Board members have mentioned disproportional use of force against Black people, including the Board Chair who used to be co-chair of the Police Chief’s Community Inclusion Council, and one Board member who is a Regional Councillor and chairs the Niagara Regional Council’s Diversity Equity Inclusion Advisory Committee.
Do you:
a. Condemn systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police based on their own use of force by race data and call for an apology and addressing the disproportional use of force by race against Black people
b. Believe data does not show systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police
c. Believe “systemic racism” is a “shadowy term…bandied about”
d. Both b and c
e. Other:
|
Nick Albano |
Response not received yet |
|
Vince DiMauro |
Response not received yet |
|
Carolyn Fast |
Response not received yet |
|
Aldo Parrotta |
Response not received yet |
|
Leo Van Vliet |
Response not received yet |
|
Steve Yochim |
Response not received yet |
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Shortcut to questions white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
Helped lead campaigns to get municipalities to support even stricter bail provisions which disproportionately affect Indigenous and Black people, including those who may never be convicted.
Advocated against
BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions in support of Palestine) at Niagara
Regional Council in 2017.
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White supremacist groups like the Dominion Society are postering across Niagara promoting mass deportations (rebranded as “remigration” even though they want to deport non-migrants i.e. citizens as well). Until recently some municipalities like St. Catharines deliberately avoided publicly addressing this out of concern it would incentivize these groups to increase their activity. Other cities like Hamilton have publicly condemned hate groups like the Dominion Society, and last week were joined by West Lincoln, Grimsby, Lincoln, and the mayor of St. Catharines.
Do you:
a. Believe it’s better not to give attention to these groups by condemning them
b. Commit to publicly condemning these groups, now as a candidate, and as an elected official, and to advocating that the government body you are elected to condemn these groups publicly
c. Believe these are not white supremacist groups or there is nothing wrong with their postering
d. Support the idea of “remigration” promoted by these groups
e. Other:
|
John Braimoh |
Response not received yet |
|
John Chiocchio |
Response not received yet |
|
Sharmila Setaram |
Response not received yet |
|
Steve Soos (special note) |
Response not received yet |
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Niagara Regional Council Chair Bob Gale resigned mere hours after he was exposed for buying, owning, and authenticating Nazi memorabilia. The mayors of Niagara Falls and Pelham said he did nothing wrong and is just a collector, while the mayor of St. Catharines said this was a distraction from “really important” things. Very few elected officials condemned Bob Gale.
Do you:
a. Condemn Bob Gale for owning Nazi memorabilia
b. Believe Bob Gale did nothing wrong
c. Other:
|
John Braimoh |
Response not received yet |
|
John Chiocchio |
Response not received yet |
|
Sharmila Setaram |
Response not received yet |
|
Steve Soos (special note) |
Response not received yet |
Do you also:
a. Believe this scandal is a distraction from “really important” issues
b. Believe top officials collecting autographed hate propaganda like Mein Kampf is a “really important” issue and racism, not a distraction
c. Other:
|
John Braimoh |
Response not received yet |
|
John Chiocchio |
Response not received yet |
|
Sharmila Setaram |
Response not received yet |
|
Steve Soos (special note) |
Response not received yet |
At a press conference on April 2nd Minister Flack was asked how another “Hitler debacle” could be avoided. Can you confirm you do not have, nor have you ever had, nor will you ever have, Nazi memorabilia?
a. Yes
b. No
c. It’s your personal business or doesn’t matter
d. Other:
|
John Braimoh |
Response not received yet |
|
John Chiocchio |
Response not received yet |
|
Sharmila Setaram |
Response not received yet |
|
Steve Soos (special note) |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
Back to page top
The Niagara Falls mayor said it was “out of context,” “misconstrued,” and a “split hair” to condemn comments by the ex-CAO at a City Council meeting saying Indigenous evacuees out in public would be seen as “homeless” by residents.
Statements by the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre condemned the ex-CAO’s comments for reinforcing stereotypes and ignoring that all Indigenous peoples have every right to be on their own land.
Do you:
a. Believe the ex-CAO’s comments were taken “out of context,” “misconstrued,” or a “split hair”
b. Agree with the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre in condemning the ex-CAO’s comments for amplifying racism.
c. Other:
|
John Braimoh |
Response not received yet |
|
John Chiocchio |
Response not received yet |
|
Sharmila Setaram |
Response not received yet |
|
Steve Soos (special note) |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
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Niagara Regional Council and several municipalities like St. Catharines, Welland, Grimsby, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Thorold and Lincoln have passed motions supporting Ukraine, and some motions supported military escalation.
Niagara Regional Councillors also unanimously “sanctioned” themselves from Russia, which is not how sanctions against individuals work.
Niagara Regional Council also lit their “Everyone Welcome” sign in Israel’s colours and the City of St. Catharines officially sided with Israel (“rally for Israel”) in a statement by a city councillor on behalf of the mayor.
Yet many elected officials said expressing similar support for Palestinians is out of their jurisdiction, would be divisive, or would be traumatizing.
Do you:
a. Believe Palestine is not a municipal issue and so should not be addressed, though Ukraine and Israel are
b. Believe governments should express support for Palestinians, they did for Ukrainians and Israelis
c. Other:
|
John Braimoh |
Response not received yet |
|
John Chiocchio |
Response not received yet |
|
Sharmila Setaram |
Response not received yet |
|
Steve Soos (special note) |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
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Niagara Regional Police have had the second worst disproportional use of force against Black people (% of use of force incidents vs % of population) in the province since publishing this data was required by the Ontario Anti-Racism Act. It has been up to almost 10x disproportional: in 2025, 26% of the use of force was against Black people who were less than 3% of the population in the 2021 census. This is the same as Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, which the US Department of Justice called “discriminatory.”
Neighbouring police forces such as Hamilton, Peel and Toronto, who are less disproportional than Niagara, have apologized for their own systemic racism in their disproportional use of force.
Yet the Police Chief, when he was Deputy Chief, said the data shows there is no systemic racism in the Niagara Police. One Police Board member who is running for mayor of Wainfleet had said in 2020 as a Niagara Regional Councillor that systemic racism is a “shadowy term…bandied about.”
To our knowledge none of the Police Board members have mentioned disproportional use of force against Black people, including the Board Chair who used to be co-chair of the Police Chief’s Community Inclusion Council, and one Board member who is a Regional Councillor and chairs the Niagara Regional Council’s Diversity Equity Inclusion Advisory Committee.
Do you:
a. Condemn systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police based on their own use of force by race data and call for an apology and addressing the disproportional use of force by race against Black people
b. Believe data does not show systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police
c. Believe “systemic racism” is a “shadowy term…bandied about”
d. Both b and c
e. Other:
|
John Braimoh |
Response not received yet |
|
John Chiocchio |
Response not received yet |
|
Sharmila Setaram |
Response not received yet |
|
Steve Soos (special note) |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
Back to page top
Shortcut to questions white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
White supremacist groups like the Dominion Society are postering across Niagara promoting mass deportations (rebranded as “remigration” even though they want to deport non-migrants i.e. citizens as well). Until recently some municipalities like St. Catharines deliberately avoided publicly addressing this out of concern it would incentivize these groups to increase their activity. Other cities like Hamilton have publicly condemned hate groups like the Dominion Society, and last week were joined by West Lincoln, Grimsby, Lincoln, and the mayor of St. Catharines.
Do you:
a. Believe it’s better not to give attention to these groups by condemning them
b. Commit to publicly condemning these groups, now as a candidate, and as an elected official, and to advocating that the government body you are elected to condemn these groups publicly
c. Believe these are not white supremacist groups or there is nothing wrong with their postering
d. Support the idea of “remigration” promoted by these groups
e. Other:
|
David Alexander |
Response not received yet |
|
Safdar Ali |
Response not received yet |
|
Tia DeAgazio |
b. Commit to publicly condemning these groups, now as a candidate, and as an elected official, and to advocating that the government body you are elected to condemn these groups publicly |
|
Tony DiMarco |
Response not received yet |
|
Bryan Green |
Response not received yet |
|
Tissa Ratnayake |
Response not received yet |
|
Terry Zorgel |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
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Niagara Regional Council Chair Bob Gale resigned mere hours after he was exposed for buying, owning, and authenticating Nazi memorabilia. The mayors of Niagara Falls and Pelham said he did nothing wrong and is just a collector, while the mayor of St. Catharines said this was a distraction from “really important” things. Very few elected officials condemned Bob Gale.
Do you:
a. Condemn Bob Gale for owning Nazi memorabilia
b. Believe Bob Gale did nothing wrong
c. Other:
|
David Alexander |
Response not received yet |
|
Safdar Ali |
Response not received yet |
|
Tia DeAgazio |
a. Condemn Bob Gale for owning Nazi memorabilia |
|
Tony DiMarco |
Response not received yet |
|
Bryan Green |
Response not received yet |
|
Tissa Ratnayake |
Response not received yet |
|
Terry Zorgel |
Response not received yet |
Do you also:
a. Believe this scandal is a distraction from “really important” issues
b. Believe top officials collecting autographed hate propaganda like Mein Kampf is a “really important” issue and racism, not a distraction
c. Other:
|
David Alexander |
Response not received yet |
|
Safdar Ali |
Response not received yet |
|
Tia DeAgazio |
b. Believe top officials collecting autographed hate propaganda like Mein Kampf is a “really important” issue and racism, not a distraction |
|
Tony DiMarco |
Response not received yet |
|
Bryan Green |
Response not received yet |
|
Tissa Ratnayake |
Response not received yet |
|
Terry Zorgel |
Response not received yet |
At a press conference on April 2nd Minister Flack was asked how another “Hitler debacle” could be avoided. Can you confirm you do not have, nor have you ever had, nor will you ever have, Nazi memorabilia?
a. Yes
b. No
c. It’s your personal business or doesn’t matter
d. Other:
|
David Alexander |
Response not received yet |
|
Safdar Ali |
Response not received yet |
|
Tia DeAgazio |
“A” DEFINITELY! (Yes) |
|
Tony DiMarco |
Response not received yet |
|
Bryan Green |
Response not received yet |
|
Tissa Ratnayake |
Response not received yet |
|
Terry Zorgel |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
Back to page top
The Niagara Falls mayor said it was “out of context,” “misconstrued,” and a “split hair” to condemn comments by the ex-CAO at a City Council meeting saying Indigenous evacuees out in public would be seen as “homeless” by residents.
Statements by the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre condemned the ex-CAO’s comments for reinforcing stereotypes and ignoring that all Indigenous peoples have every right to be on their own land.
Do you:
a. Believe the ex-CAO’s comments were taken “out of context,” “misconstrued,” or a “split hair”
b. Agree with the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre in condemning the ex-CAO’s comments for amplifying racism.
c. Other:
|
David Alexander |
Response not received yet |
|
Safdar Ali |
Response not received yet |
|
Tia DeAgazio |
b. Agree with the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre in condemning the ex-CAO’s comments for amplifying racism. |
|
Tony DiMarco |
Response not received yet |
|
Bryan Green |
Response not received yet |
|
Tissa Ratnayake |
Response not received yet |
|
Terry Zorgel |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
Back to page top
Niagara Regional Council and several municipalities like St. Catharines, Welland, Grimsby, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Thorold and Lincoln have passed motions supporting Ukraine, and some motions supported military escalation.
Niagara Regional Councillors also unanimously “sanctioned” themselves from Russia, which is not how sanctions against individuals work.
Niagara Regional Council also lit their “Everyone Welcome” sign in Israel’s colours and the City of St. Catharines officially sided with Israel (“rally for Israel”) in a statement by a city councillor on behalf of the mayor.
Yet many elected officials said expressing similar support for Palestinians is out of their jurisdiction, would be divisive, or would be traumatizing.
Do you:
a. Believe Palestine is not a municipal issue and so should not be addressed, though Ukraine and Israel are
b. Believe governments should express support for Palestinians, they did for Ukrainians and Israelis
c. Other:
|
David Alexander |
Response not received yet |
|
Safdar Ali |
Response not received yet |
|
Tia DeAgazio |
c.
Other |
|
Tony DiMarco |
Response not received yet |
|
Bryan Green |
Response not received yet |
|
Tissa Ratnayake |
Response not received yet |
|
Terry Zorgel |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
Back to page top
Niagara Regional Police have had the second worst disproportional use of force against Black people (% of use of force incidents vs % of population) in the province since publishing this data was required by the Ontario Anti-Racism Act. It has been up to almost 10x disproportional: in 2025, 26% of the use of force was against Black people who were less than 3% of the population in the 2021 census. This is the same as Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, which the US Department of Justice called “discriminatory.”
Neighbouring police forces such as Hamilton, Peel and Toronto, who are less disproportional than Niagara, have apologized for their own systemic racism in their disproportional use of force.
Yet the Police Chief, when he was Deputy Chief, said the data shows there is no systemic racism in the Niagara Police. One Police Board member who is running for mayor of Wainfleet had said in 2020 as a Niagara Regional Councillor that systemic racism is a “shadowy term…bandied about.”
To our knowledge none of the Police Board members have mentioned disproportional use of force against Black people, including the Board Chair who used to be co-chair of the Police Chief’s Community Inclusion Council, and one Board member who is a Regional Councillor and chairs the Niagara Regional Council’s Diversity Equity Inclusion Advisory Committee.
Do you:
a. Condemn systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police based on their own use of force by race data and call for an apology and addressing the disproportional use of force by race against Black people
b. Believe data does not show systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police
c. Believe “systemic racism” is a “shadowy term…bandied about”
d. Both b and c
e. Other:
|
David Alexander |
Response not received yet |
|
Safdar Ali |
Response not received yet |
|
Tia DeAgazio |
a. Condemn systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police based on their own use of force by race data and call for an apology and addressing the disproportional use of force by race against Black people |
|
Tony DiMarco |
Response not received yet |
|
Bryan Green |
Response not received yet |
|
Tissa Ratnayake |
Response not received yet |
|
Terry Zorgel |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
Back to page top
Shortcut to questions white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
White supremacist groups like the Dominion Society are postering across Niagara promoting mass deportations (rebranded as “remigration” even though they want to deport non-migrants i.e. citizens as well). Until recently some municipalities like St. Catharines deliberately avoided publicly addressing this out of concern it would incentivize these groups to increase their activity. Other cities like Hamilton have publicly condemned hate groups like the Dominion Society, and last week were joined by West Lincoln, Grimsby, Lincoln, and the mayor of St. Catharines.
Do you:
a. Believe it’s better not to give attention to these groups by condemning them
b. Commit to publicly condemning these groups, now as a candidate, and as an elected official, and to advocating that the government body you are elected to condemn these groups publicly
c. Believe these are not white supremacist groups or there is nothing wrong with their postering
d. Support the idea of “remigration” promoted by these groups
e. Other:
|
Aaron Albano |
Response not received yet |
|
Mark Dzugan |
Response not received yet |
|
Michelle Febers |
C other: There is no place in Welland or Niagara for intimidation, racism or hatred
directed at our neighbours. I support addressing hateful activity firmly and lawfully
while being careful not to give extremist organizations the publicity they
seek. My responsibility would be to protect residents, support safe and
welcoming neighbourhoods, and ensure concerns are addressed appropriately
through municipal and law-enforcement channels. |
|
Connie McCutcheon |
b. Commit to publicly condemning these groups, now as a candidate, and as an elected official, and to advocating that the government body you are elected to condemn these groups publicly |
|
Luca Mele |
What does any of this have to do
with civic by laws? Property, drive ways, tickets,
taxes, unkept roads, failed shelters, unsafe streets and packed hospitals.
You have no idea what hundreds of people are saying face to face to me about
real city issues. Send that survey to Fox News for some federal elections
click bait, you’re so out of touch with reality, this is why these emails
always end up in the junk mail, even the ai algorithm knows it doesn’t make
sense. |
|
Claudette Richard |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
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Niagara Regional Council Chair Bob Gale resigned mere hours after he was exposed for buying, owning, and authenticating Nazi memorabilia. The mayors of Niagara Falls and Pelham said he did nothing wrong and is just a collector, while the mayor of St. Catharines said this was a distraction from “really important” things. Very few elected officials condemned Bob Gale.
Do you:
a. Condemn Bob Gale for owning Nazi memorabilia
b. Believe Bob Gale did nothing wrong
c. Other:
|
Aaron Albano |
Response not received yet |
|
Mark Dzugan |
Response not received yet |
|
Michelle Febers |
C other: The collection or display
of Nazi propaganda by a public official raises serious and unsettling
questions about judgment and the standards we expect from those entrusted to
represent our communities. Historical material can have legitimate educational
purposes, but context matters. Public officials must be transparent and
demonstrate that hatred, intimidation and extremist ideology have no place in
public service. |
|
Connie McCutcheon |
a. Condemn Bob Gale for owning Nazi memorabilia |
|
Luca Mele |
What does any of this have to do
with civic by laws? Property, drive ways, tickets,
taxes, unkept roads, failed shelters, unsafe streets and packed hospitals.
You have no idea what hundreds of people are saying face to face to me about
real city issues. Send that survey to Fox News for some federal elections click
bait, you’re so out of touch with reality, this is why these emails always
end up in the junk mail, even the ai algorithm knows it doesn’t make sense. |
|
Claudette Richard |
Response not received yet |
Do you also:
a. Believe this scandal is a distraction from “really important” issues
b. Believe top officials collecting autographed hate propaganda like Mein Kampf is a “really important” issue and racism, not a distraction
c. Other:
|
Aaron Albano |
Response not received yet |
|
Mark Dzugan |
Response not received yet |
|
Michelle Febers |
C other: Bob Gale should have been
given a fair opportunity to explain why the material was collected and its
purpose. Accountability requires asking difficult questions, particularly of
public officials, but fairness requires hearing the answers and understanding
the full context before reaching conclusions. |
|
Connie McCutcheon |
b. Believe top officials collecting autographed hate propaganda like Mein Kampf is a “really important” issue and racism, not a distraction |
|
Luca Mele |
What does any of this have to do
with civic by laws? Property, drive ways, tickets,
taxes, unkept roads, failed shelters, unsafe streets and packed hospitals.
You have no idea what hundreds of people are saying face to face to me about
real city issues. Send that survey to Fox News for some federal elections
click bait, you’re so out of touch with reality, this is why these emails
always end up in the junk mail, even the ai algorithm knows it doesn’t make
sense. |
|
Claudette Richard |
Response not received yet |
At a press conference on April 2nd Minister Flack was asked how another “Hitler debacle” could be avoided. Can you confirm you do not have, nor have you ever had, nor will you ever have, Nazi memorabilia?
a. Yes
b. No
c. It’s your personal business or doesn’t matter
d. Other:
|
Aaron Albano |
Response not received yet |
|
Mark Dzugan |
Response not received yet |
|
Michelle Febers |
Response not completed for this question |
|
Connie McCutcheon |
a. Yes |
|
Luca Mele |
What does any of this have to do
with civic by laws? Property, drive ways, tickets,
taxes, unkept roads, failed shelters, unsafe streets and packed hospitals.
You have no idea what hundreds of people are saying face to face to me about
real city issues. Send that survey to Fox News for some federal elections
click bait, you’re so out of touch with reality, this is why these emails always
end up in the junk mail, even the ai algorithm knows it doesn’t make sense. |
|
Claudette Richard |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
Back to page top
The Niagara Falls mayor said it was “out of context,” “misconstrued,” and a “split hair” to condemn comments by the ex-CAO at a City Council meeting saying Indigenous evacuees out in public would be seen as “homeless” by residents.
Statements by the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre condemned the ex-CAO’s comments for reinforcing stereotypes and ignoring that all Indigenous peoples have every right to be on their own land.
Do you:
a. Believe the ex-CAO’s comments were taken “out of context,” “misconstrued,” or a “split hair”
b. Agree with the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre in condemning the ex-CAO’s comments for amplifying racism.
c. Other:
|
Aaron Albano |
Response not received yet |
|
Mark Dzugan |
Response not received yet |
|
Michelle Febers |
C other: I expect public officials
to treat every resident with dignity and respect, choose their words
carefully, and take responsibility when their words cause legitimate concern.
I also expect fairness: context should be considered and people should have
an opportunity to explain themselves. Accountability is not about public
shaming—it is about listening, correcting mistakes and maintaining the
public’s trust. |
|
Connie McCutcheon |
b. Agree with the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre in condemning the ex-CAO’s comments for amplifying racism. |
|
Luca Mele |
What does any of this have to do
with civic by laws? Property, drive ways, tickets,
taxes, unkept roads, failed shelters, unsafe streets and packed hospitals.
You have no idea what hundreds of people are saying face to face to me about
real city issues. Send that survey to Fox News for some federal elections click
bait, you’re so out of touch with reality, this is why these emails always
end up in the junk mail, even the ai algorithm knows it doesn’t make sense. |
|
Claudette Richard |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
Back to page top
Niagara Regional Council and several municipalities like St. Catharines, Welland, Grimsby, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Thorold and Lincoln have passed motions supporting Ukraine, and some motions supported military escalation.
Niagara Regional Councillors also unanimously “sanctioned” themselves from Russia, which is not how sanctions against individuals work.
Niagara Regional Council also lit their “Everyone Welcome” sign in Israel’s colours and the City of St. Catharines officially sided with Israel (“rally for Israel”) in a statement by a city councillor on behalf of the mayor.
Yet many elected officials said expressing similar support for Palestinians is out of their jurisdiction, would be divisive, or would be traumatizing.
Do you:
a. Believe Palestine is not a municipal issue and so should not be addressed, though Ukraine and Israel are
b. Believe governments should express support for Palestinians, they did for Ukrainians and Israelis
c. Other:
|
Aaron Albano |
Response not received yet |
|
Mark Dzugan |
Response not received yet |
|
Michelle Febers |
C other: I am not running for
Council to involve myself in international politics. I am running because Welland is my home and I want to serve the people who
live here. I have compassion for innocent people suffering anywhere in the
world, regardless of nationality or background. But as a counselor, my
responsibility would be to focus on Welland.
neighborhoods, services, infrastructure, safety and residents. The same
standard should apply consistently to every international conflict. |
|
Connie McCutcheon |
b. Believe governments should express support for Palestinians, they did for Ukrainians and Israelis |
|
Luca Mele |
What does any of this have to do
with civic by laws? Property, drive ways, tickets,
taxes, unkept roads, failed shelters, unsafe streets and packed hospitals.
You have no idea what hundreds of people are saying face to face to me about
real city issues. Send that survey to Fox News for some federal elections
click bait, you’re so out of touch with reality, this is why these emails
always end up in the junk mail, even the ai algorithm knows it doesn’t make
sense. |
|
Claudette Richard |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
Back to page top
Niagara Regional Police have had the second worst disproportional use of force against Black people (% of use of force incidents vs % of population) in the province since publishing this data was required by the Ontario Anti-Racism Act. It has been up to almost 10x disproportional: in 2025, 26% of the use of force was against Black people who were less than 3% of the population in the 2021 census. This is the same as Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, which the US Department of Justice called “discriminatory.”
Neighbouring police forces such as Hamilton, Peel and Toronto, who are less disproportional than Niagara, have apologized for their own systemic racism in their disproportional use of force.
Yet the Police Chief, when he was Deputy Chief, said the data shows there is no systemic racism in the Niagara Police. One Police Board member who is running for mayor of Wainfleet had said in 2020 as a Niagara Regional Councillor that systemic racism is a “shadowy term…bandied about.”
To our knowledge none of the Police Board members have mentioned disproportional use of force against Black people, including the Board Chair who used to be co-chair of the Police Chief’s Community Inclusion Council, and one Board member who is a Regional Councillor and chairs the Niagara Regional Council’s Diversity Equity Inclusion Advisory Committee.
Do you:
a. Condemn systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police based on their own use of force by race data and call for an apology and addressing the disproportional use of force by race against Black people
b. Believe data does not show systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police
c. Believe “systemic racism” is a “shadowy term…bandied about”
d. Both b and c
e. Other:
|
Aaron Albano |
Response not received yet |
|
Mark Dzugan |
Response not received yet |
|
Michelle Febers |
E other: I support strong,
accountable policing because Ward 5 residents deserve to feel safe and
protected in their homes and neighborhoods. I will advocate for greater police
presence where recurring problems exist, better follow-up on residents’
concerns and appropriate resources for frontline officers. At the same time,
significant disparities in use-of-force data deserve transparent examination.
Effective policing, equal treatment and accountability must work together to
earn public trust and make our neighborhoods safer. |
|
Connie McCutcheon |
a. Condemn systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police based on their own use of force by race data and call for an apology and addressing the disproportional use of force by race against Black people |
|
Luca Mele |
What does any of this have to do
with civic by laws? Property, drive ways, tickets,
taxes, unkept roads, failed shelters, unsafe streets and packed hospitals.
You have no idea what hundreds of people are saying face to face to me about
real city issues. Send that survey to Fox News for some federal elections
click bait, you’re so out of touch with reality, this is why these emails always
end up in the junk mail, even the ai algorithm knows it doesn’t make sense. |
|
Claudette Richard |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
Back to page top
Shortcut to questions white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
White supremacist groups like the Dominion Society are postering across Niagara promoting mass deportations (rebranded as “remigration” even though they want to deport non-migrants i.e. citizens as well). Until recently some municipalities like St. Catharines deliberately avoided publicly addressing this out of concern it would incentivize these groups to increase their activity. Other cities like Hamilton have publicly condemned hate groups like the Dominion Society, and last week were joined by West Lincoln, Grimsby, Lincoln, and the mayor of St. Catharines.
Do you:
a. Believe it’s better not to give attention to these groups by condemning them
b. Commit to publicly condemning these groups, now as a candidate, and as an elected official, and to advocating that the government body you are elected to condemn these groups publicly
c. Believe these are not white supremacist groups or there is nothing wrong with their postering
d. Support the idea of “remigration” promoted by these groups
e. Other:
|
Steve Falusi |
Response not received yet |
|
Bonnie Fokkens |
Response not received yet |
|
Jim Larouche |
Response not received yet |
|
Jamie Lee |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
Back to page top
Niagara Regional Council Chair Bob Gale resigned mere hours after he was exposed for buying, owning, and authenticating Nazi memorabilia. The mayors of Niagara Falls and Pelham said he did nothing wrong and is just a collector, while the mayor of St. Catharines said this was a distraction from “really important” things. Very few elected officials condemned Bob Gale.
Do you:
a. Condemn Bob Gale for owning Nazi memorabilia
b. Believe Bob Gale did nothing wrong
c. Other:
|
Steve Falusi |
Response not received yet |
|
Bonnie Fokkens |
Response not received yet |
|
Jim Larouche |
Response not received yet |
|
Jamie Lee |
Response not received yet |
Do you also:
a. Believe this scandal is a distraction from “really important” issues
b. Believe top officials collecting autographed hate propaganda like Mein Kampf is a “really important” issue and racism, not a distraction
c. Other:
|
Steve Falusi |
Response not received yet |
|
Bonnie Fokkens |
Response not received yet |
|
Jim Larouche |
Response not received yet |
|
Jamie Lee |
Response not received yet |
At a press conference on April 2nd Minister Flack was asked how another “Hitler debacle” could be avoided. Can you confirm you do not have, nor have you ever had, nor will you ever have, Nazi memorabilia?
a. Yes
b. No
c. It’s your personal business or doesn’t matter
d. Other:
|
Steve Falusi |
Response not received yet |
|
Bonnie Fokkens |
Response not received yet |
|
Jim Larouche |
Response not received yet |
|
Jamie Lee |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
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The Niagara Falls mayor said it was “out of context,” “misconstrued,” and a “split hair” to condemn comments by the ex-CAO at a City Council meeting saying Indigenous evacuees out in public would be seen as “homeless” by residents.
Statements by the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre condemned the ex-CAO’s comments for reinforcing stereotypes and ignoring that all Indigenous peoples have every right to be on their own land.
Do you:
a. Believe the ex-CAO’s comments were taken “out of context,” “misconstrued,” or a “split hair”
b. Agree with the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre in condemning the ex-CAO’s comments for amplifying racism.
c. Other:
|
Steve Falusi |
Response not received yet |
|
Bonnie Fokkens |
Response not received yet |
|
Jim Larouche |
Response not received yet |
|
Jamie Lee |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
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Niagara Regional Council and several municipalities like St. Catharines, Welland, Grimsby, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Thorold and Lincoln have passed motions supporting Ukraine, and some motions supported military escalation.
Niagara Regional Councillors also unanimously “sanctioned” themselves from Russia, which is not how sanctions against individuals work.
Niagara Regional Council also lit their “Everyone Welcome” sign in Israel’s colours and the City of St. Catharines officially sided with Israel (“rally for Israel”) in a statement by a city councillor on behalf of the mayor.
Yet many elected officials said expressing similar support for Palestinians is out of their jurisdiction, would be divisive, or would be traumatizing.
Do you:
a. Believe Palestine is not a municipal issue and so should not be addressed, though Ukraine and Israel are
b. Believe governments should express support for Palestinians, they did for Ukrainians and Israelis
c. Other:
|
Steve Falusi |
Response not received yet |
|
Bonnie Fokkens |
Response not received yet |
|
Jim Larouche |
Response not received yet |
|
Jamie Lee |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
Back to page top
Niagara Regional Police have had the second worst disproportional use of force against Black people (% of use of force incidents vs % of population) in the province since publishing this data was required by the Ontario Anti-Racism Act. It has been up to almost 10x disproportional: in 2025, 26% of the use of force was against Black people who were less than 3% of the population in the 2021 census. This is the same as Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, which the US Department of Justice called “discriminatory.”
Neighbouring police forces such as Hamilton, Peel and Toronto, who are less disproportional than Niagara, have apologized for their own systemic racism in their disproportional use of force.
Yet the Police Chief, when he was Deputy Chief, said the data shows there is no systemic racism in the Niagara Police. One Police Board member who is running for mayor of Wainfleet had said in 2020 as a Niagara Regional Councillor that systemic racism is a “shadowy term…bandied about.”
To our knowledge none of the Police Board members have mentioned disproportional use of force against Black people, including the Board Chair who used to be co-chair of the Police Chief’s Community Inclusion Council, and one Board member who is a Regional Councillor and chairs the Niagara Regional Council’s Diversity Equity Inclusion Advisory Committee.
Do you:
a. Condemn systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police based on their own use of force by race data and call for an apology and addressing the disproportional use of force by race against Black people
b. Believe data does not show systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police
c. Believe “systemic racism” is a “shadowy term…bandied about”
d. Both b and c
e. Other:
|
Steve Falusi |
Response not received yet |
|
Bonnie Fokkens |
Response not received yet |
|
Jim Larouche |
Response not received yet |
|
Jamie Lee |
Response not received yet |
Back to Councillor top
Back to page top
Shortcut to questions suspension rates white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
Special question for trustee candidates:
Niagara-related school boards have
not published suspension rates by race, which neighbouring school boards have, showing Black students
are disproportionately suspended.
Will you advocate and vote for
publishing suspension rates by race data within a year of being elected?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Other:
|
Sue Barnett |
Response not received yet |
|
Lisa Mooney |
c. Other: I think it is important to
have this information and analyze it. I am hesitant commit to publishing this
data though. I would like to speak with parents of suspended children,
particularly racialized students, to ensure this is the direction they feel
best supports their child. |
|
Cheryl Rowe |
Response not received yet |
|
Sean Vout |
Response not received yet |
Back to DSBN top
Back to page top
White supremacist groups like the Dominion Society are postering across Niagara promoting mass deportations (rebranded as “remigration” even though they want to deport non-migrants i.e. citizens as well). Until recently some municipalities like St. Catharines deliberately avoided publicly addressing this out of concern it would incentivize these groups to increase their activity. Other cities like Hamilton have publicly condemned hate groups like the Dominion Society, and last week were joined by West Lincoln, Grimsby, Lincoln, and the mayor of St. Catharines.
Do you:
a. Believe it’s better not to give attention to these groups by condemning them
b. Commit to publicly condemning these groups, now as a candidate, and as an elected official, and to advocating that the government body you are elected to condemn these groups publicly
c. Believe these are not white supremacist groups or there is nothing wrong with their postering
d. Support the idea of “remigration” promoted by these groups
e. Other:
|
Sue Barnett |
Response not received yet |
|
Lisa Mooney |
b. Commit to publicly condemning
these groups, now as a candidate, and as an elected official, and to advocating that
the government body you are elected to condemn these groups publicly |
|
Cheryl Rowe |
Response not received yet |
|
Sean Vout |
Response not received yet |
Back to DSBN top
Back to page top
Niagara Regional Council Chair Bob Gale resigned mere hours after he was exposed for buying, owning, and authenticating Nazi memorabilia. The mayors of Niagara Falls and Pelham said he did nothing wrong and is just a collector, while the mayor of St. Catharines said this was a distraction from “really important” things. Very few elected officials condemned Bob Gale.
Do you:
a. Condemn Bob Gale for owning Nazi memorabilia
b. Believe Bob Gale did nothing wrong
c. Other:
|
Sue Barnett |
Response not received yet |
|
Lisa Mooney |
a. Condemn Bob Gale for owning Nazi
memorabilia |
|
Cheryl Rowe |
Response not received yet |
|
Sean Vout |
Response not received yet |
Do you also:
a. Believe this scandal is a distraction from “really important” issues
b. Believe top officials collecting autographed hate propaganda like Mein Kampf is a “really important” issue and racism, not a distraction
c. Other:
|
Sue Barnett |
Response not received yet |
|
Lisa Mooney |
b. Believe top officials collecting
autographed hate propaganda like Mein Kampf is a “really important” issue and
racism, not a distraction |
|
Cheryl Rowe |
Response not received yet |
|
Sean Vout |
Response not received yet |
At a press conference on April 2nd Minister Flack was asked how another “Hitler debacle” could be avoided. Can you confirm you do not have, nor have you ever had, nor will you ever have, Nazi memorabilia?
a. Yes
b. No
c. It’s your personal business or doesn’t matter
d. Other:
|
Sue Barnett |
Response not received yet |
|
Lisa Mooney |
a. Yes |
|
Cheryl Rowe |
Response not received yet |
|
Sean Vout |
Response not received yet |
Back to DSBN top
Back to page top
The Niagara Falls mayor said it was “out of context,” “misconstrued,” and a “split hair” to condemn comments by the ex-CAO at a City Council meeting saying Indigenous evacuees out in public would be seen as “homeless” by residents.
Statements by the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre condemned the ex-CAO’s comments for reinforcing stereotypes and ignoring that all Indigenous peoples have every right to be on their own land.
Do you:
a. Believe the ex-CAO’s comments were taken “out of context,” “misconstrued,” or a “split hair”
b. Agree with the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre in condemning the ex-CAO’s comments for amplifying racism.
c. Other:
|
Sue Barnett |
Response not received yet |
|
Lisa Mooney |
b. Agree with the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara
Regional Native Centre in condemning the ex-CAO’s comments for amplifying racism. |
|
Cheryl Rowe |
Response not received yet |
|
Sean Vout |
Response not received yet |
Back to DSBN top
Back to page top
Niagara Regional Council and several municipalities like St. Catharines, Welland, Grimsby, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Thorold and Lincoln have passed motions supporting Ukraine, and some motions supported military escalation.
Niagara Regional Councillors also unanimously “sanctioned” themselves from Russia, which is not how sanctions against individuals work.
Niagara Regional Council also lit their “Everyone Welcome” sign in Israel’s colours and the City of St. Catharines officially sided with Israel (“rally for Israel”) in a statement by a city councillor on behalf of the mayor.
Yet many elected officials said expressing similar support for Palestinians is out of their jurisdiction, would be divisive, or would be traumatizing.
Do you:
a. Believe Palestine is not a municipal issue and so should not be addressed, though Ukraine and Israel are
b. Believe governments should express support for Palestinians, they did for Ukrainians and Israelis
c. Other:
|
Sue Barnett |
Response not received yet |
|
Lisa Mooney |
c. Other: I support Palestinians |
|
Cheryl Rowe |
Response not received yet |
|
Sean Vout |
Response not received yet |
Back to DSBN top
Back to page top
Niagara Regional Police have had the second worst disproportional use of force against Black people (% of use of force incidents vs % of population) in the province since publishing this data was required by the Ontario Anti-Racism Act. It has been up to almost 10x disproportional: in 2025, 26% of the use of force was against Black people who were less than 3% of the population in the 2021 census. This is the same as Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, which the US Department of Justice called “discriminatory.”
Neighbouring police forces such as Hamilton, Peel and Toronto, who are less disproportional than Niagara, have apologized for their own systemic racism in their disproportional use of force.
Yet the Police Chief, when he was Deputy Chief, said the data shows there is no systemic racism in the Niagara Police. One Police Board member who is running for mayor of Wainfleet had said in 2020 as a Niagara Regional Councillor that systemic racism is a “shadowy term…bandied about.”
To our knowledge none of the Police Board members have mentioned disproportional use of force against Black people, including the Board Chair who used to be co-chair of the Police Chief’s Community Inclusion Council, and one Board member who is a Regional Councillor and chairs the Niagara Regional Council’s Diversity Equity Inclusion Advisory Committee.
Do you:
a. Condemn systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police based on their own use of force by race data and call for an apology and addressing the disproportional use of force by race against Black people
b. Believe data does not show systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police
c. Believe “systemic racism” is a “shadowy term…bandied about”
d. Both b and c
e. Other:
|
Sue Barnett |
Response not received yet |
|
Lisa Mooney |
a.
Condemn
systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police based on their own use of force by race data
and call for an apology and addressing the disproportional use of force by race
against Black people |
|
Cheryl Rowe |
Response not received yet |
|
Sean Vout |
Response not received yet |
Back to DSBN top
Back to page top
NCDSB (English Catholic) Trustee
Shortcut to questions suspension rates white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
Special question for trustee candidates:
Niagara-related school boards have
not published suspension rates by race, which neighbouring school boards have, showing Black students
are disproportionately suspended.
Will you advocate and vote for publishing
suspension rates by race data within a year of being elected?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Other:
|
Igor Belsky |
Response not received yet |
|
Irma Ruiter |
Response not received yet |
|
Paul Turner |
Response not received yet |
Back to NCDSB top
Back to page top
White supremacist groups like the Dominion Society are postering across Niagara promoting mass deportations (rebranded as “remigration” even though they want to deport non-migrants i.e. citizens as well). Until recently some municipalities like St. Catharines deliberately avoided publicly addressing this out of concern it would incentivize these groups to increase their activity. Other cities like Hamilton have publicly condemned hate groups like the Dominion Society, and last week were joined by West Lincoln, Grimsby, Lincoln, and the mayor of St. Catharines.
Do you:
a. Believe it’s better not to give attention to these groups by condemning them
b. Commit to publicly condemning these groups, now as a candidate, and as an elected official, and to advocating that the government body you are elected to condemn these groups publicly
c. Believe these are not white supremacist groups or there is nothing wrong with their postering
d. Support the idea of “remigration” promoted by these groups
e. Other:
|
Igor Belsky |
Response not received yet |
|
Irma Ruiter |
Response not received yet |
|
Paul Turner |
Response not received yet |
Back to NCDSB top
Back to page top
Niagara Regional Council Chair Bob Gale resigned mere hours after he was exposed for buying, owning, and authenticating Nazi memorabilia. The mayors of Niagara Falls and Pelham said he did nothing wrong and is just a collector, while the mayor of St. Catharines said this was a distraction from “really important” things. Very few elected officials condemned Bob Gale.
Do you:
a. Condemn Bob Gale for owning Nazi memorabilia
b. Believe Bob Gale did nothing wrong
c. Other:
|
Igor Belsky |
Response not received yet |
|
Irma Ruiter |
Response not received yet |
|
Paul Turner |
Response not received yet |
Do you also:
a. Believe this scandal is a distraction from “really important” issues
b. Believe top officials collecting autographed hate propaganda like Mein Kampf is a “really important” issue and racism, not a distraction
c. Other:
|
Igor Belsky |
Response not received yet |
|
Irma Ruiter |
Response not received yet |
|
Paul Turner |
Response not received yet |
At a press conference on April 2nd Minister Flack was asked how another “Hitler debacle” could be avoided. Can you confirm you do not have, nor have you ever had, nor will you ever have, Nazi memorabilia?
a. Yes
b. No
c. It’s your personal business or doesn’t matter
d. Other:
|
Igor Belsky |
Response not received yet |
|
Irma Ruiter |
Response not received yet |
|
Paul Turner |
Response not received yet |
Back to NCDSB top
Back to page top
The Niagara Falls mayor said it was “out of context,” “misconstrued,” and a “split hair” to condemn comments by the ex-CAO at a City Council meeting saying Indigenous evacuees out in public would be seen as “homeless” by residents.
Statements by the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre condemned the ex-CAO’s comments for reinforcing stereotypes and ignoring that all Indigenous peoples have every right to be on their own land.
Do you:
a. Believe the ex-CAO’s comments were taken “out of context,” “misconstrued,” or a “split hair”
b. Agree with the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre in condemning the ex-CAO’s comments for amplifying racism.
c. Other:
|
Igor Belsky |
Response not received yet |
|
Irma Ruiter |
Response not received yet |
|
Paul Turner |
Response not received yet |
Back to NCDSB top
Back to page top
Niagara Regional Council and several municipalities like St. Catharines, Welland, Grimsby, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Thorold and Lincoln have passed motions supporting Ukraine, and some motions supported military escalation.
Niagara Regional Councillors also unanimously “sanctioned” themselves from Russia, which is not how sanctions against individuals work.
Niagara Regional Council also lit their “Everyone Welcome” sign in Israel’s colours and the City of St. Catharines officially sided with Israel (“rally for Israel”) in a statement by a city councillor on behalf of the mayor.
Yet many elected officials said expressing similar support for Palestinians is out of their jurisdiction, would be divisive, or would be traumatizing.
Do you:
a. Believe Palestine is not a municipal issue and so should not be addressed, though Ukraine and Israel are
b. Believe governments should express support for Palestinians, they did for Ukrainians and Israelis
c. Other:
|
Igor Belsky |
Response not received yet |
|
Irma Ruiter |
Response not received yet |
|
Paul Turner |
Response not received yet |
Back to NCDSB top
Back to page top
Niagara Regional Police have had the second worst disproportional use of force against Black people (% of use of force incidents vs % of population) in the province since publishing this data was required by the Ontario Anti-Racism Act. It has been up to almost 10x disproportional: in 2025, 26% of the use of force was against Black people who were less than 3% of the population in the 2021 census. This is the same as Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, which the US Department of Justice called “discriminatory.”
Neighbouring police forces such as Hamilton, Peel and Toronto, who are less disproportional than Niagara, have apologized for their own systemic racism in their disproportional use of force.
Yet the Police Chief, when he was Deputy Chief, said the data shows there is no systemic racism in the Niagara Police. One Police Board member who is running for mayor of Wainfleet had said in 2020 as a Niagara Regional Councillor that systemic racism is a “shadowy term…bandied about.”
To our knowledge none of the Police Board members have mentioned disproportional use of force against Black people, including the Board Chair who used to be co-chair of the Police Chief’s Community Inclusion Council, and one Board member who is a Regional Councillor and chairs the Niagara Regional Council’s Diversity Equity Inclusion Advisory Committee.
Do you:
a. Condemn systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police based on their own use of force by race data and call for an apology and addressing the disproportional use of force by race against Black people
b. Believe data does not show systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police
c. Believe “systemic racism” is a “shadowy term…bandied about”
d. Both b and c
e. Other:
|
Igor Belsky |
Response not received yet |
|
Irma Ruiter |
Response not received yet |
|
Paul Turner |
Response not received yet |
Back to NCDSB top
Back to page top
Shortcut to questions suspension rates white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
Special question for trustee candidates:
Niagara-related school boards have
not published suspension rates by race, which neighbouring school boards have, showing Black students
are disproportionately suspended.
Will you advocate and vote for
publishing suspension rates by race data within a year of being elected?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Other:
|
Amanda Leduc |
Response not received yet |
|
Marcel Tikeng |
Response not received yet |
|
Matthew Graham |
Response not received yet |
Back to CSV top
Back to page top
White supremacist groups like the Dominion Society are postering across Niagara promoting mass deportations (rebranded as “remigration” even though they want to deport non-migrants i.e. citizens as well). Until recently some municipalities like St. Catharines deliberately avoided publicly addressing this out of concern it would incentivize these groups to increase their activity. Other cities like Hamilton have publicly condemned hate groups like the Dominion Society, and last week were joined by West Lincoln, Grimsby, Lincoln, and the mayor of St. Catharines.
Do you:
a. Believe it’s better not to give attention to these groups by condemning them
b. Commit to publicly condemning these groups, now as a candidate, and as an elected official, and to advocating that the government body you are elected to condemn these groups publicly
c. Believe these are not white supremacist groups or there is nothing wrong with their postering
d. Support the idea of “remigration” promoted by these groups
e. Other:
|
Amanda Leduc |
Response not received yet |
|
Marcel Tikeng |
Response not received yet |
|
Matthew Graham |
Response not received yet |
Back to CSV top
Back to page top
Niagara Regional Council Chair Bob Gale resigned mere hours after he was exposed for buying, owning, and authenticating Nazi memorabilia. The mayors of Niagara Falls and Pelham said he did nothing wrong and is just a collector, while the mayor of St. Catharines said this was a distraction from “really important” things. Very few elected officials condemned Bob Gale.
Do you:
a. Condemn Bob Gale for owning Nazi memorabilia
b. Believe Bob Gale did nothing wrong
c. Other:
|
Amanda Leduc |
Response not received yet |
|
Marcel Tikeng |
Response not received yet |
|
Matthew Graham |
Response not received yet |
Do you also:
a. Believe this scandal is a distraction from “really important” issues
b. Believe top officials collecting autographed hate propaganda like Mein Kampf is a “really important” issue and racism, not a distraction
c. Other:
|
Amanda Leduc |
Response not received yet |
|
Marcel Tikeng |
Response not received yet |
|
Matthew Graham |
Response not received yet |
At a press conference on April 2nd Minister Flack was asked how another “Hitler debacle” could be avoided. Can you confirm you do not have, nor have you ever had, nor will you ever have, Nazi memorabilia?
a. Yes
b. No
c. It’s your personal business or doesn’t matter
d. Other:
|
Amanda Leduc |
Response not received yet |
|
Marcel Tikeng |
Response not received yet |
|
Matthew Graham |
Response not received yet |
Back to CSV top
Back to page top
The Niagara Falls mayor said it was “out of context,” “misconstrued,” and a “split hair” to condemn comments by the ex-CAO at a City Council meeting saying Indigenous evacuees out in public would be seen as “homeless” by residents.
Statements by the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre condemned the ex-CAO’s comments for reinforcing stereotypes and ignoring that all Indigenous peoples have every right to be on their own land.
Do you:
a. Believe the ex-CAO’s comments were taken “out of context,” “misconstrued,” or a “split hair”
b. Agree with the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre in condemning the ex-CAO’s comments for amplifying racism.
c. Other:
|
Amanda Leduc |
Response not received yet |
|
Marcel Tikeng |
Response not received yet |
|
Matthew Graham |
Response not received yet |
Back to CSV top
Back to page top
Niagara Regional Council and several municipalities like St. Catharines, Welland, Grimsby, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Thorold and Lincoln have passed motions supporting Ukraine, and some motions supported military escalation.
Niagara Regional Councillors also unanimously “sanctioned” themselves from Russia, which is not how sanctions against individuals work.
Niagara Regional Council also lit their “Everyone Welcome” sign in Israel’s colours and the City of St. Catharines officially sided with Israel (“rally for Israel”) in a statement by a city councillor on behalf of the mayor.
Yet many elected officials said expressing similar support for Palestinians is out of their jurisdiction, would be divisive, or would be traumatizing.
Do you:
a. Believe Palestine is not a municipal issue and so should not be addressed, though Ukraine and Israel are
b. Believe governments should express support for Palestinians, they did for Ukrainians and Israelis
c. Other:
|
Amanda Leduc |
Response not received yet |
|
Marcel Tikeng |
Response not received yet |
|
Matthew Graham |
Response not received yet |
Back to CSV top
Back to page top
Niagara Regional Police have had the second worst disproportional use of force against Black people (% of use of force incidents vs % of population) in the province since publishing this data was required by the Ontario Anti-Racism Act. It has been up to almost 10x disproportional: in 2025, 26% of the use of force was against Black people who were less than 3% of the population in the 2021 census. This is the same as Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, which the US Department of Justice called “discriminatory.”
Neighbouring police forces such as Hamilton, Peel and Toronto, who are less disproportional than Niagara, have apologized for their own systemic racism in their disproportional use of force.
Yet the Police Chief, when he was Deputy Chief, said the data shows there is no systemic racism in the Niagara Police. One Police Board member who is running for mayor of Wainfleet had said in 2020 as a Niagara Regional Councillor that systemic racism is a “shadowy term…bandied about.”
To our knowledge none of the Police Board members have mentioned disproportional use of force against Black people, including the Board Chair who used to be co-chair of the Police Chief’s Community Inclusion Council, and one Board member who is a Regional Councillor and chairs the Niagara Regional Council’s Diversity Equity Inclusion Advisory Committee.
Do you:
a. Condemn systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police based on their own use of force by race data and call for an apology and addressing the disproportional use of force by race against Black people
b. Believe data does not show systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police
c. Believe “systemic racism” is a “shadowy term…bandied about”
d. Both b and c
e. Other:
|
Amanda Leduc |
Response not received yet |
|
Marcel Tikeng |
Response not received yet |
|
Matthew Graham |
Response not received yet |
Back to CSV top
Back to page top
Shortcut to questions suspension rates white supremacists Hitler Debacle Anti-Indigenous comments Palestine Niagara Police
Special question for trustee candidates:
Niagara-related school boards have
not published suspension rates by race, which neighbouring school boards have, showing Black students
are disproportionately suspended.
Will you advocate and vote for
publishing suspension rates by race data within a year of being elected?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Other:
|
Jean Max Philome |
Response not received yet |
Back to CSM top
Back to page top
White supremacist groups like the Dominion Society are postering across Niagara promoting mass deportations (rebranded as “remigration” even though they want to deport non-migrants i.e. citizens as well). Until recently some municipalities like St. Catharines deliberately avoided publicly addressing this out of concern it would incentivize these groups to increase their activity. Other cities like Hamilton have publicly condemned hate groups like the Dominion Society, and last week were joined by West Lincoln, Grimsby, Lincoln, and the mayor of St. Catharines.
Do you:
a. Believe it’s better not to give attention to these groups by condemning them
b. Commit to publicly condemning these groups, now as a candidate, and as an elected official, and to advocating that the government body you are elected to condemn these groups publicly
c. Believe these are not white supremacist groups or there is nothing wrong with their postering
d. Support the idea of “remigration” promoted by these groups
e. Other:
|
Jean Max Philome |
Response not received yet |
Back to CSM top
Back to page top
Niagara Regional Council Chair Bob Gale resigned mere hours after he was exposed for buying, owning, and authenticating Nazi memorabilia. The mayors of Niagara Falls and Pelham said he did nothing wrong and is just a collector, while the mayor of St. Catharines said this was a distraction from “really important” things. Very few elected officials condemned Bob Gale.
Do you:
a. Condemn Bob Gale for owning Nazi memorabilia
b. Believe Bob Gale did nothing wrong
c. Other:
|
Jean Max Philome |
Response not received yet |
Do you also:
a. Believe this scandal is a distraction from “really important” issues
b. Believe top officials collecting autographed hate propaganda like Mein Kampf is a “really important” issue and racism, not a distraction
c. Other:
|
Jean Max Philome |
Response not received yet |
At a press conference on April 2nd Minister Flack was asked how another “Hitler debacle” could be avoided. Can you confirm you do not have, nor have you ever had, nor will you ever have, Nazi memorabilia?
a. Yes
b. No
c. It’s your personal business or doesn’t matter
d. Other:
|
Jean Max Philome |
Response not received yet |
Back to CSM top
Back to page top
The Niagara Falls mayor said it was “out of context,” “misconstrued,” and a “split hair” to condemn comments by the ex-CAO at a City Council meeting saying Indigenous evacuees out in public would be seen as “homeless” by residents.
Statements by the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre condemned the ex-CAO’s comments for reinforcing stereotypes and ignoring that all Indigenous peoples have every right to be on their own land.
Do you:
a. Believe the ex-CAO’s comments were taken “out of context,” “misconstrued,” or a “split hair”
b. Agree with the Kashechewan, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, and Niagara Regional Native Centre in condemning the ex-CAO’s comments for amplifying racism.
c. Other:
|
Jean Max Philome |
Response not received yet |
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Niagara Regional Council and several municipalities like St. Catharines, Welland, Grimsby, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Thorold and Lincoln have passed motions supporting Ukraine, and some motions supported military escalation.
Niagara Regional Councillors also unanimously “sanctioned” themselves from Russia, which is not how sanctions against individuals work.
Niagara Regional Council also lit their “Everyone Welcome” sign in Israel’s colours and the City of St. Catharines officially sided with Israel (“rally for Israel”) in a statement by a city councillor on behalf of the mayor.
Yet many elected officials said expressing similar support for Palestinians is out of their jurisdiction, would be divisive, or would be traumatizing.
Do you:
a. Believe Palestine is not a municipal issue and so should not be addressed, though Ukraine and Israel are
b. Believe governments should express support for Palestinians, they did for Ukrainians and Israelis
c. Other:
|
Jean Max Philome |
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Niagara Regional Police have had the second worst disproportional use of force against Black people (% of use of force incidents vs % of population) in the province since publishing this data was required by the Ontario Anti-Racism Act. It has been up to almost 10x disproportional: in 2025, 26% of the use of force was against Black people who were less than 3% of the population in the 2021 census. This is the same as Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, which the US Department of Justice called “discriminatory.”
Neighbouring police forces such as Hamilton, Peel and Toronto, who are less disproportional than Niagara, have apologized for their own systemic racism in their disproportional use of force.
Yet the Police Chief, when he was Deputy Chief, said the data shows there is no systemic racism in the Niagara Police. One Police Board member who is running for mayor of Wainfleet had said in 2020 as a Niagara Regional Councillor that systemic racism is a “shadowy term…bandied about.”
To our knowledge none of the Police Board members have mentioned disproportional use of force against Black people, including the Board Chair who used to be co-chair of the Police Chief’s Community Inclusion Council, and one Board member who is a Regional Councillor and chairs the Niagara Regional Council’s Diversity Equity Inclusion Advisory Committee.
Do you:
a. Condemn systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police based on their own use of force by race data and call for an apology and addressing the disproportional use of force by race against Black people
b. Believe data does not show systemic racism in the Niagara Regional Police
c. Believe “systemic racism” is a “shadowy term…bandied about”
d. Both b and c
e. Other:
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Jean Max Philome |
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