Mayor Roy, Councillor Bozinovski Call Out Political Harassment and Reaffirm Commitment to Respectful Public Discourse

Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy and Councillor Victoria Bozinovski are speaking out against an escalation of harassment, misinformation, and disrespectful behaviour in Whitby’s municipal politics.

During a joint news conference at Whitby Town Hall, Mayor Roy and Councillor Bozinovski condemned a recent escalation in this behaviour, that coincides with the nominations for the 2026 Municipal Election opening on May 1.

They also reaffirmed their commitment to the Elect Respect pledge, which Whitby Council unanimously endorsed in October 2025. The pledge calls on elected officials, candidates, and community members to uphold respectful conduct in public discourse and throughout election campaigns.

Mayor Roy said it is essential that members of Council and Town staff feel safe while carrying out their work, and Councillor Bozinovski spoke to the personal impact of these incidents and the importance of setting a higher standard in local politics.

Quotes

"Respect must be the foundation of public service.  We can and should have strong, passionate debates about the issues that matter to our residents. But there is absolutely no place in Whitby for intentional misinformation or tactics that seek to divide, outrage, and erode public trust. Whitby is a strong, engaged, and caring community and we are better than this.”-  

-          Elizabeth Roy, Mayor, Town of Whitby

“This behaviour undermines public trust and discourages participation in local democracy. We all have a role to play in ensuring that Whitby remains a place where people feel safe to contribute and lead.” 

-          Victoria Bozinovski, East Ward Councillor

Recent examples include:

• An Integrity Commissioner report released earlier today, April 14, 2026, finding that a member of Council breached the Council Code of Conduct twice by publicly disrespecting Town staff.
• A vehicle displaying images encouraging Whitby residents to “Fire Victoria Bozinovski” by signing a petition was present at Whitby Town Hall and other locations across the community on April 13.
• A series of robocalls in November 2025 that spread intentional misinformation about Mayor Roy and asked residents whether they would vote for Roy or Councillor Chris Leahy in a race for mayor. The robocalls were commissioned by the Whitby Taxpayers Federation which has no named members.
• Approximately $100,000 spent by the Town of Whitby during this Council term investigating allegations targeting Mayor Roy, all of which were determined to be unfounded.

Mayor Roy and Councillor Bozinovski are calling on residents to expect -- and demand -- respectful behaviour from all members of Council and candidates in the upcoming municipal election, and those involved in their campaigns.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Office of the Mayor

Jillian Follert
Public Affairs Coordinator, Office of the Mayor
Phone: 289.314.9101
Email: follertj@whitby.ca