With David Boghosian- Hamilton's Integrity Commissioner

Welcome to our interview with City of Hamilton's Integrity Commissioner, David Boghosian.

Over the past two years, or as far back as your records allow during your tenure, can you  provide statistics on the number of complaints referred to your office? Of those complaints, how many were substantiated, unsubstantiated, deemed frivolous or vexatious, dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, or otherwise categorized?

Attached please find my Annual IC Reports to Council for my first two years as the City’s IC, which have all of the information you have requested. 

See the 2023-2024 report by clicking here

See the 2024-2025 report by clicking here

I have not yet prepared an Annual Report for 2025/26 as it is not due until October. I unfortunately do not have the time to compile all of the statistics you have requested for the period since my last Annual Report; however, I can advise that the number of Complaints has risen dramatically. Between mid-October (the date of my last Annual Report) and December 31, 2025, my office received 12 Code of Conduct Complaints. From January 1st through July 24, 2026, my office has received 22 COC Complaints.

This next question is not intended in any way to question your integrity or that of any other individual or party; rather, it is a systemic question. How independent can an Integrity Commissioner realistically be when the municipality being scrutinized is also responsible for appointing and compensating the Commissioner?

I think that is fair comment, however, the same can be said about any municipal employee. As a member of a professional body (LSO), I am required to adhere to ethical standards which I think goes a long way to countering any conflict between my duty to as an Integrity Commissioner and the theoretical tendency for me to show loyalty to the hands that feed me.

If you do an internet search, you will see that I have not been shy about taking unpopular positions in Reports finding misconduct on the part of Members of Council and Local Boards in the municipalities where I act as IC, to the extent that I have been fired by one municipality for, in my estimation, being too hard on Members, and have my share of critics who think likewise in a couple of other of the municipalities where I am the IC. 

I think it comes down to the intestinal fortitude of each individual IC to call it like he/she sees it rather than what is most likely to enhance his/her longevity in the position.

In your view, are the sanctions available under Ontario law—principally a reprimand or the suspension of remuneration for up to 90 days—sufficient to deter serious misconduct?

The recent amendments to Part V.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001 do now provide for the potential removal of a Member from Council, but the circumstances would need to be egregious and the process for actual effecting the removal are lengthy and cumbersome, so I am skeptical that this severe penalty will ever be invoked in practice. 

My view is that unless it is a criminal matter, which I would refer to the police (as I have done on a couple of occasions in the past), the current range of penalties is adequate for the sorts of violations that I have encountered in my experience as the IC for more than a dozen Ontario municipalities over the past 5 years.

How do you assess allegations concerning councillors’ conduct on social media, particularly when they are using personal accounts but remain readily identifiable as elected officials?

I have addressed the circumstances in which posts using personal accounts will become Code of Conduct issues and the types of statements in social media that will run afoul of the Code in previous Code of Conduct reports, such as the attached report concerning former Councillor John-Paul Danko (click here to see it) (see paragraphs [16]-[28] of that decision) . There is a higher obligation on Members of Council to exercise decorum on social media compared to the general population and I expect all Members to adhere to this high standard so as to set a good example for everyone else.

If you could recommend one change to Hamilton City Council that would meaningfully strengthen public confidence in the ethical conduct and accountability of elected officials, what would it be?

I am not saying this to keep my job but I truly find Hamilton’s Council to be highly professional and dedicated to public service. There are, of course, relatively minor things that come up from time to time but nothing fundamental or institutional that I can point to.

As we approach the municipal election, what cautionary advice would you offer to those campaigning for public office? In particular, could you provide an abbreviated list of important do’s and don’ts for candidates seeking to conduct themselves ethically and responsibly?

The best I can do is provide you with the attached document (click here to see it), which combines the provisions of the Code of Conduct that deal with Election Campaigns with the City’s Guidelines for incumbent councillors running for re-election. Beyond that, I would say to make sure anything you say is factually accurate as practically everything is verifiable via an internet search these days and being caught making untrue statements can cause a lot of damage to your credibility.

Thank-you David for engaging with Hamiltonians on The Hamiltonian!