Pickering city councillor blasted for appearing on far-right podcast

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Pickering’s mayor and most of city council are calling out one of their own after a controversial councillor appeared on a far-right podcast.

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Ward 1 Councillor Lisa Robinson, who has a history of controversial stances, appeared this week on a podcast hosted by notorious gadfly and convicted hate peddler Kevin J. Johnston, who as of Thursday morning published more than 11 hours of content about Pickering city council on his Rumble page.

In a statement posted Wednesday to the City of Pickering website, Mayor Kevin Ashe and the balance of city and regional councillors denounced Robinson for appearing on the podcast, which featured personal information about council members, with Johnston providing derogatory commentary and accusations against each of them.

“During the broadcast, the host published the names, pictures, and personal phone numbers of council members, falsely and dangerously labelling us as ‘pedophiles,’ ‘Nazis,’ and ‘fascists,’” the statement read, describing Robinson’s participation as an endorsement of Johnston’s views. 

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“This inflammatory, defamatory and violent rhetoric is not only reprehensible, but also poses a direct threat to our safety and the safety of our families.”

The letter describes Robinson’s decision to appear on the show as “irresponsible, unethical and dangerous,” as well as a violation of council’s code of conduct.

“We will be filing a joint complaint to the Integrity Commissioner for this most recent breach.”

In a statement to the Toronto Sun, Robinson said she doesn’t condone the hateful comments Johnston made about her fellow councillors, but said it’s “telling” that Ashe and council have no issue when “similar attacks” are levelled at her, and are only “squirming” because they’re “getting a taste of their own medicine.”

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“Their selective outrage and double-standards only reveal their hypocrisy,” the statement read.

“They can’t have it both ways — criticizing Mr. Johnston’s comments while tacitly endorsing or ignoring the hateful attacks against me.”

Facing numerous court judgments — including a 2023 conviction demanding he pay $650,000 to an Alberta Health Services employee he harassed, as well as the $2.5 million he owes Paramount Fine Foods founder Mohamad Fakih after losing a 2019 defamation case — Johnston fled Canada to Central America, and currently calls Panama home.

In 2022, Johnston was arrested in Montana after crossing the border on foot to escape an 18-month jail term for violating an Ontario judge’s order to stop defaming Fakih. 

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