'We are now moving into a zero-tolerance world': Sarnia mayor reacts as councillor remains defiant

Word of warning at Sarnia council meeting Sarnia Coun. Bill Dennis has apologized for vulgar comments made last month. CTV London's Sean Irvine explains.

A Sarnia city councillor contends he will not stay silent.

Bill Dennis remains defiant in the wake of an advisory at the start of a Sarnia City Council meeting on Monday.

It comes after Dennis launched a vulgar exchange during an earlier Nov. 26 budget meeting.

In his address, he made personal attacks against the mayor and some city staffers.

Later that same day, Dennis expressed regret, only to the citizens of Sarnia for his words in a CTV News interview.

However, Mayor Mike Bradley stated an apology to council was necessary to attend future meetings.

Dennis did so before Monday’s meeting.

In a letter, he apologized for any “distress” he may have caused over his “frustrations.”

But he did not specifically apologize to any member of the council.

Bradley told members that was not good enough but permitted Dennis to attend the virtual meeting with a warning.

“We are now moving into a zero-tolerance world. There will be zero tolerance for any comments about other individuals that are not appropriate,” Bradley said.

The rest of the three-hour meeting remained civil.

In a telephone interview Tuesday, Dennis told CTV News he stayed largely silent in an attempt not to be “baited” by the mayor and other city councillors.

“I'm not going to swing at pitches in the dirt, but I'm still going to be myself. I'm going to call them as I see them,” he said.

But the mayor sees Dennis as an ongoing concern for councillors and staff.

He intends to enforce current standards and the findings of future reports on behaviours at council.

“I'm enforcing the rules of order for the city,” he told CTV London. “And he's become an embarrassment to the city right across the country with the outbursts that are profane and vulgar and do not help the city's business.”

But Dennis contends he is being targeted, “It's not that I'm not a team player. It's just I don't I don't buy their base. I don't buy their view of the world.”