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Ontario councillor facing criminal charge speaks at meeting, advocates denied deputation
Advocates attending the meeting of an Ontario municipality shouted their frustrations Tuesday evening, as a councillor facing a criminal charge was allowed to speak on the very topic they had been banned from discussing.
Members of the Women of Ontario Say No advocacy group sat in the Niagara Falls council chamber, alongside supporters of Coun. Mike Strange, where Mayor Jim Diodati struggled to maintain decorum from both sides.
The meeting followed dramatic events in June, where the advocacy group was denied the chance to speak about issues of municipal conduct because the city said it could impact an ongoing legal matter.
After they were told they could not speak, the group attended a June 17 meeting with signs, and its members were arrested. They were later released without charge.
Their frustration bubbled over at Tuesday’s meeting, as Coun. Strange, who was charged with domestic assault in May, was allowed to stand during the council meeting and talk about municipal accountability legislation — and the allegation against him.
The charge against Strange has not been proven in court.
“Every individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Strange said during Tuesday’s meeting.
“This is not just a legal technicality; it is a fundamental protection of fairness and justice in our society. To remove an elected official based on an unproven and unfounded allegation would set a dangerous precedent and undermines the very democratic principles that we rely on.”
His speech was punctuated with expressions of frustration from the advocates and met with applause from his supporters. The councillor had previously asked his friends and supporters to attend the meeting and applauded his speech.
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It has been roughly six weeks since the Women of Ontario Say No first asked to present to Niagara Falls council about municipal reform. Their intention, they say, was to seek support for amendments to provincial law, including having councillors put on paid leave if they are criminally charged.
Emily McIntosh, the founder of the group, said it was “shocking” that Strange was allowed to speak on the very topic her group had been denied a delegation on.
“It really undermines the credibility of council to allow double rules,” she said.
“Frankly, it felt terrible to be on the other side of that, where we were denied the opportunity to speak because it may relate to ongoing legal proceedings — even though that wasn’t the case, it was very general in nature — and then a councillor could get up, not only speak to that but then also speak to his own personal support that he received.”
McIntosh said it was “extremely unprofessional” that council allowed Strange to speak at all on the topic. “This is exactly why the public is losing trust in publicly-elected officials,” she said.
Another councillor did suggest Strange should not address the ongoing legal matter during the meeting, but the city’s CAO said he believed Strange could talk on the topic because he could waive his own privilege rights.
Mayor Diodati, who makes calls on who can speak as the chair of the council meeting, told Strange he should avoid referencing his own situation. He did not intervene when Strange discussed the charge.
McIntosh said she spoke to a member of the local group who turned out to support Strange. She said they agreed to add supporting the Women of Ontario Say No’s municipal reform plans to the agenda at their next meeting.
“So, I will give credit where credit is due,” she said. “It is very fascinating to me that that core group is willing to provide space to discuss and engage and we couldn’t see the same from the Niagara Falls council.”
The Women of Ontario Say No has also retained a lawyer, who wrote to the city and local police after the arrests in June. They are considering a legal challenge to force Niagara Falls to allow them to make their presentation and for a public apology.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Coun. Lori Lococo said her colleagues and the city had not treated the group fairly.
“It was stated that they could not have a delegation; there was no opportunity for something to be put on the agenda,” she said.
“I’m all about fairness — they weren’t treated fairly to provide what they needed. I understand what you’re saying, maybe in the lawyer’s correspondence, they were given that option, but they were not given that option from day one.”
During the meeting, Strange tabled a motion to ask staff to research proposed municipal conduct legislation. He said the advocacy group could speak on the day the staff report is finished, at which point — they say — it will be too late.
The legislation that the Women of Ontario Say No wanted to discuss at Niagara Falls council is currently being debated by a legislative committee, as the Ford government decides if it needs to make changes.
Ontario NDP MPP Jeff Burch said Niagara Falls council was in danger of distracting and taking away from a discussion on how to improve the law.
“It’s really detracting from what is supposed to be a bill that makes the municipal arena safer for women, so more people feel comfortable putting their name in the ring to become councillors and work for municipalities,” he said.
“It’s about making things safer for women and all of these actions designed to silence the voices of women who are trying to make things safer for women is something I find very troubling.”
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
TORONTO – Myles Straw’s timing to have a career game was perfect.
The Toronto Blue Jays outfielder was in the mix to lose his roster spot with the return of George Springer before the Blue Jays throttled the Texas Rangers 14-2 on Saturday.
But with Springer back after missing 15 games with a concussion, the Blue Jays instead optioned 26-year-old Joey Loperfido to triple-A Buffalo. The 30-year-old Straw would have had to clear waivers.
With a new skinny bat compared to the thicker torpedo bat he had been employing, Straw pounded a three-run homer in the second inning and followed with a two-run blast in the same left-field area in the third for his first multihomer outing and a career-high five RBIs.
“This team is great,” Straw said. “The roster is great. Joey’s been doing phenomenal. I don’t think he could have been doing any better.
“I think there’s a really good chance he’ll probably be back with us as soon as the rosters expand (in September). He’s played his butt off, and he’s earned every single bit of being here.”
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Straw added two singles to lead the Blue Jays’ 18-hit attack with a 4-for-5 game. His play overshadowed Springer’s return.
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The 42,686 fans at Rogers Centre welcomed back Springer with a rousing ovation, leading off the bottom of the first as the Blue Jays’ designated hitter.
Springer struck out in his first two at-bats and then legged out an infield hit on a bouncer to third base before being hit by a pitch from position player Rowdy Tellez, who took to the mound for the final two innings.
“Seeing him hauling (his behind) down the line, it’s just who he is. He sets the tone for us,” Toronto manager John Schneider said.
There was some rust on Springer’s game, despite his rehab start in Buffalo on Friday, his first game since July 28, after a fastball from Baltimore Orioles Kade Strowd concussed him.
The 35-year-old Springer homered in the second of his three at-bats on Friday.
“It was really cool to hear the fans before his first at-bat,” Schneider said. “It’s just a good feeling having him back with his presence, his ability, his personality.”
Schneider also felt good about witnessing Straw’s performance.
“I remember in spring training, we had him in Group B with some of the younger guys in camp,” Schneider said. “He handled that well and just did his thing.
“He’s a pretty integral part of the clubhouse. He’s kind of tight with everybody. He understands the role that we’re asking him to play, and he’s playing it really well.”
Schneider called Straw “a winning baseball player.” He has played on winning teams, such as the Houston Astros and Cleveland Guardians.
The Astros drafted Straw, and he arrived in Toronto from Cleveland in an off-season trade.
“It feels the exact same,” said Straw when asked about the similarities to the Houston championship teams. “We’re winning. That’s what they did over there at the time, and that’s what we’re doing here.
“I feel like we win a lot of baseball games, which we do, and that’s how you win a world championship. You win games.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
TORONTO – Myles Straw followed an early three-run homer with a two-run shot for his first career multihomer game as the Toronto Blue Jays throttled the Texas Rangers 14-2 on Saturday.
Straw ignited a six-run second inning with his three-run homer to left field and smashed his two-run blast to the same area in the third as the Blue Jays (73-51) won their third straight before 42,686 at Rogers Centre.
Straw added to his five RBI outing with two more singles to lead Toronto’s 18-hit attack with a 4 for 5 day.
Bo Bichette delivered a bases-loaded two-run double in the second, in which Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was thrown out at home trying to score from first base.
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Daulton Varsho piled on with a two-run homer as part of a three-run fifth. He reached base four times with three hits and a walk.
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With position player Rowdy Tellez on to pitch in the seventh inning, Davis Schneider also picked up a third hit with a three-run homer to left field.
Eric Lauer (8-2) left after walking the leadoff hitter in the sixth. His pitch count reached a season-high 102. He yielded a third-inning run on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts.
Texas lefty Patrick Corbin (6-9) departed after 2 1/3 innings, having given up seven runs on eight hits and two walks with two strikeouts.
Takeaways
Rangers: The Rangers (61-63) have lost four in a row.
Blue Jays: George Springer returned to the lineup after missing 15 games with a concussion. Batting leadoff in the designated hitter spot, he went 1 for 4 with two strikeouts, an infield hit and was hit by Tellez.
Key Moment
After committing a first-inning error on a fly ball, Schneider made a diving catch in left field in the fifth to take a possible run-scoring hit away from Jake Burger and end the inning.
Key Stat
Bichette’s two-run second-inning hit to the right-field gap was his 36th double to move him two behind AL leader Bobby Witt of the Kansas City Royals.
Up Next
Jose Berrios (9-4) will face Texas ace Nathan Eovaldi (10-3) in the series finale on Sunday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk’s late-game heroics resulted in three deafening ovations from the 42,260 inside the Rogers Centre on Friday.
The first roar arrived in the seventh inning when the Toronto Blue Jays catcher smacked an opposite-field two-run homer to right.
The next inning, the sellout crowd cheered as Kirk delivered a bases-loaded single to left field to score the game-tying and game-winning runs.
But the most thunderous praise from the faithful came when Kirk caught the Texas Rangers by surprise and stole his first career base.
“I didn’t know what was going on,” Kirk said through an interpreter after the 6-5 win. “Then I turned around and saw myself (standing at second base) on the scoreboard.”
The Blue Jays celebrated along with their low-key teammate’s first stolen base. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. pulled the base out of the ground and presented Kirk with the keepsake.
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Kirk stated the memento will soon be on display in his home. He also admitted he was surprised when first-base coach Mark Budzinski told him to steal second.
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“I looked around and said, ‘Are you serious?’” Kirk said.
Budzinski was serious. Kirk made history. He was holding on to the base during his post-game interview.
“The fact that he was holding it on the field post-game is even better,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “I think they’re authenticating it.”
Although Toronto starter Chris Bassitt endured a difficult outing, lasting only five innings and giving up an early three-run homer, his night ended on a high note, watching his battery mate’s late-game wizardry.
“He’s catching (all-time base stealing leader) Rickey (Henderson) slowly,” Bassitt said with a smile.
Kirk hit his homer with an 0-1 count and his single with a 1-2 count.
“Kirk, the hitter, is pretty hard to face,” Bassitt said. “So I hate to say it, but I expect it from him. There are not many guys on our team that I’d rather have up than him because he can do damage with any kind of pitch.
“I’m always happy when he’s up late in big situations.”
This was the American League East-leading Blue Jays’ 39th comeback win of the season, and second in as many games after Guerrero belted a game-winning two-run homer in the seventh inning for a 2-1 win against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.
“I think the more you do it, the more comfortable you are when you’re in that situation,” Schneider said. “It’s not luck. It’s hard to do, but like anything, the more you do it, the better you get at it.”
Springer, Bieber updates
George Springer homered in the second of three at-bats in his rehab start for triple-A Buffalo on Friday and could return to the Blue Jays lineup on Saturday.
Righty Shane Bieber pitched seven shutout innings in Buffalo, striking out four with six hits and no walks on 90 pitches.
Bieber could make his Blue Jays debut next week, likely on the road against the Miami Marlins next Friday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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