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Cambridge’s integrity commissioner has recommended that a councillor be formally reprimanded and lose 10 days’ pay after posting a meme that upset many people, including members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
However, it’s up to the other councillors to decide if they’ll follow through on those suggestions.
Back on January 22, Coun. Adam Cooper shared a meme on his public Facebook page but later took it down.
The image featured someone with blue hair yelling at the camera, accompanied by the words “He took my pronouns! I have to live in reality now!” It seemed to refer to an executive order by then-U. S. President Donald Trump that rolled back several policies supporting 2SLGBTQ+ rights.
In January, the Trump administration declared that only two sexes – male and female – would be officially recognized in the U. S.
The post sparked 10 complaints filed with the city’s integrity commissioner. John Mascarin and Meghan Cowan from Aird & Berlis LLP, a Toronto law firm, handle these cases for Cambridge.
Councillor calls meme political humor
The report presented at Tuesday’s council meeting says Cooper claimed he didn’t know about the executive order when he posted the meme.
“While the councillor has defended the meme as a form of political debate that used humour to assert a point, we instead have determined that the meme within the Facebook post, in the context in which it was posted, demeaned a specific group of individuals so as to make them feel secondary or devalued,” it reads.
“As such, the meme set out in the Facebook post did not uphold the code [of conduct]’s requirements that members of council conduct themselves at all times with decorum, courtesy, respect and decency.”
The report also mentions how other councillors-including Mayor Jan Liggett-spoke out publicly against Cooper’s post because they felt it hurt people. In her statement, Mayor Liggett said “the implications within the meme have brought distress and pain to families and members of our community.”
It notes Cooper “has not apologized for any harm his Facebook post and meme may have caused.”
At that time, Cooper told Cambridge Chronicle he stood by his actions.
“I believe in a person’s right to have an opinion along with their right to express it without being maliciously targeted for harassment or bullying,” he said via email.
Council options moving forward
The report finds Cooper broke council’s code of conduct and recommends two things:
Denounce his actions through an official reprimand. Suspend his pay for 10 days.
The report adds: “Council can accept our recommendations in full, reject them outright or accept them in a modified manner.”
An extra issue was brought up “for educational purposes.” The integrity commissioners pointed out that Cooper got legal advice from a law firm but wasn’t charged for it.
The letterhead from Cooper’s lawyer was titled “The Democracy Fund” with paperwork stating: “All of our clients are represented free of charge thanks to the generous support of our donors.”
Councillors aren’t allowed under city rules to accept any gifts or benefits tied directly or indirectly to their work duties-including free legal help or discounts-so this detail was included as reminder.
The integrity commissioner stressed this part is meant as guidance: councillors should avoid accepting freebies related to their role such as pro bono legal services.
Cambridge Chronicle reached out to Cooper for comment on Monday (which was a holiday), but there wasn’t any response yet.
Council meets Tuesday at 6:30 p. m. inside city hall.
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