Council workplace · 2019–2021
Robert Filmer’s 2020 Leave and the Council Investigation
In December 2020, Councillor Robert Filmer took a two-month leave from Qualicum Beach Council. He said Council had become “toxic”, and he told reporters he faced discrimination over his age and sexual orientation. The Town hired an outside investigator. In February 2021 the Town said it found “no evidence of discrimination, bullying or harassment as described by policy or law”. All four members of Council, Filmer included, voted to issue that statement, which encouraged him to apologize publicly. He called the Town’s release “extremely misleading”. We found no apology. The Town also waited for his return to set the date of the by-election for Adam Walker’s empty seat.
The 2019 walkout
In August 2019, Filmer spoke at Council about the Town’s stance against bullying and harassment, and the recent vandalism of the rainbow crosswalk on Village Way. He moved that staff provide “options for the creation of a Code of Conduct for Council.” It passed.
On October 2, 2019, at a Committee of the Whole meeting, he said he would excuse himself from all public meetings “until such time as Council agrees to address issues related to safe workplaces and respectful discourse.” He left the meeting. Councillor Adam Walker followed two minutes later, saying that “as Council is unable as a group to address the issue”, he would join him.
Filmer was back at the next regular Council meeting, on October 7. That day Council released a decision from a closed meeting: staff were to hire a facilitator “to assist Council with team building and code of ethics.” In December 2020, Filmer told the Times Colonist that a mediator had been brought in about a year earlier. “It did not fix a single thing.”
Sources: Regular Council minutes, Aug 12, 2019 (filming Advisory Planning Commission meetings; Code of Conduct options) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Committee of the Whole minutes, Oct 2, 2019 (Councillors Filmer and Walker leave the meeting) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Oct 7, 2019 (facilitator for Council released from a closed meeting) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Qualicum Beach councillor goes on leave, cites ‘toxic’ behaviour of council (Dec 16, 2020) (Times Colonist)
His leave, December 2020
On Thursday, December 10, 2020, Filmer announced he was stepping back from Council for two months. In his statement he said “some of my colleagues have gone out of their way to foster an environment that is frankly toxic, unsafe, unkind, and unwelcoming to those whose views and lived experiences may differ from their own.”
He told CBC News he faced discrimination based on his age and his sexual orientation. “In public it looks like this council gets along perfectly but when the doors close the tables really turn,” he said. He said that in a closed meeting that July, a council member had tried to use his sexual orientation to press him to vote for a motion, and that the Mayor overruled his point of order. On age, he said Council meetings had moved from after work hours to the middle of the day, so he had to find a way to keep his job while serving on Council. The Times Colonist reported that he would keep being paid during his leave.
Mayor Brian Wiese said: “I disagree with the allegations he has made and I’m extremely disappointed that he has chosen to raise them in the manner he did.” He told CBC he had “no recollection” of the July meeting Filmer described: “I would never allow it to happen.” The provincial ministry said its staff were reaching out to the Town “to offer resources and support”.
Sources: Qualicum Beach councillor takes leave of absence, claims abuse and hostility from fellow councillors (Dec 11, 2020) (NanaimoNewsNOW); Qualicum Beach councillor goes on leave, cites ‘toxic’ behaviour of council (Dec 16, 2020) (Times Colonist); Report on Councillor Filmer’s allegations of discrimination over age and sexual orientation (Dec 18, 2020) (CBC News); Province reaching out to Qualicum Beach after councillor takes medical leave (Dec 20, 2020) (Times Colonist)
The investigation and its findings
The Town hired Innova Strategy Group to look into his concerns, through interviews and a review of written evidence, video, policy and law. On February 9, 2021, the Town published a statement signed by Mayor Wiese. It said the investigation found “no evidence of discrimination, bullying or harassment as described by policy or law.” It also concluded that “communication has been strained and misunderstandings have been prevalent between Council members over the past two years.”
The statement said Mayor Wiese and Councillors Filmer, Harrison and Westbroek voted unanimously in a closed meeting on February 8 to issue it, and “encouraged Councillor Filmer to provide a public apology.” Filmer attended that meeting while on leave, and moved to close it to the public.
The Town released a two-page summary of the findings, not the full report. It lists nine items. Three were about Councillor Westbroek and one about Councillor Harrison. The rest were about Council decisions, meetings and the Mayor’s leadership. The investigator found no evidence of discrimination or poor leadership in any of them. Here they are in brief.
| Date | What it was about | What the investigator found |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 4, 2019 | Councillor Westbroek’s vote against the rainbow crosswalk | No evidence of discrimination. A vote on spending Town money is not a sign of support or indifference toward the LGBTQ2S+ community. The investigator acknowledged Filmer’s interpretation. |
| Oct 23, 2019 | A Committee of the Whole meeting (Perfect Storm Group) | No evidence of poor leadership or a lack of decorum. |
| Oct 28, 2019 | Choosing Council’s alternate to the Regional District | No evidence of discrimination toward Filmer. The majority’s intent was to limit Councillor Walker’s possible involvement at the Regional District. |
| Oct 28, 2019 | Seating at Council meetings | No evidence of discrimination. There is no rule or policy on where members sit. |
| Dec 2019 | Mayor Wiese finding temporary space for the District 69 Backpack Program | The Mayor acknowledged he didn’t follow procedure, but felt it was too urgent to wait. Not related to Filmer, and no case for poor leadership or discrimination. |
| June 2020 | Westbroek not attending the Pride flag raising | No evidence of discrimination. The investigator was satisfied Westbroek could not attend, and acknowledged Filmer’s interpretation. |
| Jul 13, 2020 | Statements Westbroek made in a closed meeting (headed “Councillor Westbroek Coercion”) | No indication they were aimed at Filmer’s sexual orientation. The Mayor and Westbroek said the issue was bullying and harassment. No evidence of discrimination; Filmer’s interpretation acknowledged. |
| Aug 2020 | Statements by Councillor Harrison in an email exchange (headed “Councillor Harrison Coercion”) | No indication they were aimed at his sexual orientation. The emails were about councillors supporting each other when criticized by community groups. No evidence of discrimination; Filmer’s interpretation acknowledged. |
| Nov 18, 2020 | The Mayor’s leadership of a meeting | No evidence of poor leadership or a lack of decorum. It is common for a chair to ask members to move things along. |
The three items about Westbroek are also covered on our page about his 2021 censure, which was a separate matter.
Sources: Public Statement: Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (Feb 9, 2021) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Findings: Innova Strategy Group investigation of Councillor Filmer’s allegations (2021) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Special Council minutes, Feb 8, 2021 (closed meeting) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Investigation finds no evidence Qualicum Beach councillor was discriminated against (Feb 12, 2021) (Times Colonist)
What each side has said
The Town
The Town’s statement said harassment, bullying and discrimination “must not be tolerated”, and that it started the investigation right away. It said “We welcome the return of Councillor Filmer to serving the people of Qualicum Beach.”
Councillor Scott Harrison wrote on Facebook: “I’m surprised he finds the press release misleading since he was present when council as a whole worked on it line by line during the meeting and then subsequently voted in favour of it.”
Sources: Public Statement: Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (Feb 9, 2021) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Investigation finds no evidence Qualicum Beach councillor was discriminated against (Feb 12, 2021) (Times Colonist)
Filmer
The same day, Filmer called the Town’s release “extremely misleading” and said it told only “part of the story.” He said that after reading the report, “it became clear to me that some of my fellow councillors gave a pattern of facts that does not square with my notes or memory.” He said he was pleased to vote to release it, to have a full public discussion.
He also said “certain questions were posed to other staff and council members but not to me, which leads me to question the conclusions reached in the investigation.” And: “Instead of initiating a candid conversation about how things can be improved, I feel that council is now engaging in victim shaming, which is patently unacceptable.”
Sources: Qualicum Beach council probe finds no evidence of discrimination or harassment (Feb 9, 2021) (Saanich News (Black Press)); Investigation finds no evidence Qualicum Beach councillor was discriminated against (Feb 12, 2021) (Times Colonist)
We found no public apology from Filmer in the Town’s records or the news reports we read. We did not see his Facebook page.
A three-member Council, and the by-election
Adam Walker had resigned from Council in November 2020, after he was elected MLA. With Filmer on leave, Council had three active members: Mayor Wiese and Councillors Harrison and Westbroek. The ministry said that was enough for a quorum.
In January 2021, the Town’s Corporate Administrator told Council that the ministry “supports the Town in waiting for Councillor Filmer to return from his leave of absence in February before announcing an election date.”
Filmer missed 8 Council meetings during his leave. He returned to regular meetings on February 24, 2021. That day he moved the motions to appoint the election officials. He also seconded Westbroek’s motion to ask voters at the by-election about raising the number of councillors from four to six. That failed on a 2–2 tie. The by-election was held on May 15, 2021.
Sources: Qualicum Beach councillor goes on leave, cites ‘toxic’ behaviour of council (Dec 16, 2020) (Times Colonist); Province reaching out to Qualicum Beach after councillor takes medical leave (Dec 20, 2020) (Times Colonist); Qualicum Beach councillor returns from medical leave of absence (Feb 27, 2021) (Times Colonist); Regular Council minutes, Jan 13, 2021 (timing of the by-election) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Feb 24, 2021 (by-election; question on the size of Council) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Council minutes, all meetings (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council agenda, May 27, 2021 (by-election results, pp. 77–79) (Town of Qualicum Beach)
Toward a code of conduct
The Town had no code of conduct for Council during these events. Council adopted its Standards of Conduct in February 2022. Filmer moved or seconded several of the steps.
- August 2019: he moved that staff provide options for a Code of Conduct for Council. Passed.
- July 2021: he seconded Mayor Wiese’s motion for a staff report with options for a Code of Conduct. Passed unanimously.
- September 2021: he seconded Westbroek’s motion to draft one “using the Standards of Conduct from North Cowichan as a starting point.” It passed 3–2. Mayor Wiese and Councillor Harrison voted against.
- October 2021: he seconded a motion to delete from the draft the words “reduction in compensation in accordance with the Council Remuneration By-Law”. Passed unanimously.
- February 2022: he moved to strike the words “unless expressly authorized to do so by the CAO” from a rule in the section on dealing with staff. Passed unanimously. Council then approved the policy, unanimously.
Sources: Regular Council minutes, Aug 12, 2019 (filming Advisory Planning Commission meetings; Code of Conduct options) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Jul 21, 2021 (report on a Code of Conduct) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Sep 8, 2021 (Council Code of Conduct to be drafted) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Oct 27, 2021 (Pheasant Glen OCP amendment adopted; Standards of Conduct amendments) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Regular Council minutes, Feb 2, 2022 (Regional District transit report; Standards of Conduct approved) (Town of Qualicum Beach); Council Standards of Conduct, Policy 3004-7 (2022) (Town of Qualicum Beach)
What isn’t public
- The investigator’s full report. The Town published only a summary of the findings.
- What was said in the closed meetings the findings describe.
- Whether Filmer ever apologized in a way we didn’t see.
If you have a public document that answers any of these, send it to facts@LetThemEatGolf.ca and we will add it.
More on Robert Filmer
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2018–2022 · Council record
Robert Filmer on Qualicum Beach Council, 2018–2022
We read the minutes of every Council meeting in his term and found no censure or conflict of interest. He voted for the 2019 pay raise, against a 2021 motion ruling out an Eaglecrest purchase, and against the Qualicum Station rezoning, though he voted for its permit. He finished ninth of ten in 2022.
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Council candidate
Robert Filmer Questionnaire
- Accurate × 5
- Not verified × 1
Filmer’s account of his 2018–2022 term holds up: the Town’s cash and reserve transfers in 2022, the land sales that paid back the St. Andrews purchase, the developer money split between parks and health care, and the 106 rental homes. He overstates one number. The St. Andrews property cost $3.4 million, not about $4 million. The Town’s records back his concern that Eaglecrest has grown and pushed other priorities back.
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Council candidate
Robert Filmer Flyer
- Accurate × 4
Filmer’s record on the flyer holds up, with one correction. He chaired the Town’s Parks and Recreation committee and, until 2021, its Environment and Sustainability committee. His results repeat his questionnaire answers, which the records back: 106 rental homes, $6.9 million moved to reserves in 2022, and grants for asset management and infrastructure. His voting dates are right.
Everything on Robert Filmer · All fact checks · Qualicum Beach Election 2026