A city watchdog has found that a Toronto councillor acted in a “derogatory” way toward a controversial advocate who’s been accused of making polarizing online posts — but is recommending no penalties be given over an incident last year that appeared in an online video.
In a report released Friday, integrity commissioner Paul Muldoon outlined his investigation into two complaints made about Coun. Chris Moise (Toronto Centre) in which a constituent accused the councillor of engaging in “discreditable conduct” after a budget town hall meeting last year.
Daniel Tate, head of online advocacy group IntegrityTO, confirmed to the Star on Friday that he was one of the unnamed complainants in Muldoon’s report. Tate has given deputations at city hall about his opposition to renaming Yonge-Dundas Square into Sankofa Square — and Moise’s role in spearheading the efforts. Council decided in 2023 to rename the downtown location because of Henry Dundas’s purported links to the slave trade.
According to the report, Tate approached Moise at city hall on Jan. 16 last year as the latter was leaving the meeting and videorecorded an exchange where he asked the councillor, “So what are you doing this year, in (2025), relating to renaming things that hurt your feelings for whatever reason?”
Muldoon’s report said that Moise responded by saying Tate had “harassed him and his staff and that the Complainant held ‘a white supremacy view.’”
Tate then asked Moise to apologize for “‘calling [him] a white supremacist.” The report said that Moise said he would “never” apologize, “‘because you are.’”
Muldoon’s report said the second complaint against Moise was made by “a third party who saw the incident through the media.” Tate had shared the video with the Toronto Sun, which posted it online.
In his report, the integrity commissioner found that Moise had violated council’s code of conduct on discreditable behaviour “because he acted in a derogatory manner towards an individual, while in his official role.”
The integrity commissioner can make recommendations to council on a penalty but cannot impose them. Council cannot revise the findings, but they can amend the penalty recommendations, which is rare. Muldoon’s recommendations will be voted on at next week’s council meeting.
Among his reasons for recommending no penalty, Muldoon noted it was the first time he found that Moise had acted in a “derogatory manner” that violates the council’s code of conduct, and because he recognized “the councillor’s lived experience as a racialized person, in light of the Complainant’s persistent criticism of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion policies, often directed at the Councillor.”
Muldoon also said he considered how the “brief” interaction happened when Tate pursued Moise with “critical questions” while the councillor was trying to leave a meeting: “I understand (Moise’s) submission that the on-camera pursuit and questioning … was a ‘gotcha moment.’”
He noted the derogatory comment “only became public when the Complainant shared his video with the media.”
Muldoon’s report continued: “In the same way the Complainant is a relentless advocate for his agenda, (Moise) has a long and consistent history of serving the needs of racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities.”
What happened last year “appears to be the result of a simmering tension between the two men with deeply divided views,” Muldoon’s report concluded. “While I find that (Moise’s) words did cross the line, I have taken the context into account in my recommendations as to (no) penalty.”
In a statement to the Star about Muldoon’s report, Moise said on Friday: “We encourage our children and others that if they see something, say something … As an elected representative, it is incumbent on me to lead by example and stand up to racism, bigotry, and marginalization.”
“I respectfully disagree with the Integrity Commissioner,” Moise continued. “I have no regrets, and I will always stand up to white nationalism and white nationalist politics.”
In his public statement Friday, Tate said he was disappointed in the lack of penalty recommendations, saying that council should impose a “significant” penalty “including but not limited to a dock in pay.”
He also criticized Moise’s comments on the video: “This kind of derogatory rhetoric fuels toxic, divisive discourse and erodes trust in public officials.”
In an interview with the Star, Tate said that Moise’s comments about the report are an example of a councillor “not taking responsibility,” adding that it “shows how out to lunch this councillor is.”
