A downtown Toronto councillor who was found to have violated the city’s code of conduct is now asking for his legal fees incurred during the integrity commissioner’s investigation to be reimbursed.
In a motion to council, the clerk is recommending that the city fully cover the remaining $20,807.61 Coun. Chris Moise owes to the law firm as well as any interest.
The clerk indicated that the city had already paid $5,000 which came from the 2025 Council General Expense Budget.
“There is sufficient budget available in 2026 to cover this expense,” the clerk said in the motion.
“The chief financial officer and treasurer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial impact information.”
Moise retained a lawyer after he was notified of an integrity commissioner investigation into his conduct during an interaction with a constituent on Jan. 16, 2025.
The city clerk noted that it consulted with the city solicitor, who reviewed the invoices and determined the rates to be reasonable.
“The integrity commissioner noted that the assistance of legal counsel for a respondent during an integrity commissioner investigation is always helpful and that the integrity commissioner takes no position on the current reimbursement request,” the clerk wrote in the motion.
Under the city’s policy, legal fees related to the code of conduct investigation are eligible expenses if the integrity commissioner found the member in violation and city council received the report.
Paul Muldoon, the city’s integrity commissioner, released his report into two complaints against Moise and found that the councillor “engaged in discreditable conduct,” violating the code of conduct.
The interaction occurred following a budget town hall meeting. Moise was approached by Daniel Tate, the executive director of the advocacy group IntegrityTO, who is also his constituent.
Tate, who recorded the interaction, asked Moise what he was doing in 2025, “relating to renaming things that hurt your feelings for whatever reason?” He has strongly opposed the renaming of Yonge-Dundas Square to Sankofa Square, in which Moise was involved.
“I know you have a different view than I do. I know you have a white supremacy view. I don’t support your views,” Moise said in response to Tate’s repeated question about what the councillor planned to rename in 2025.
“Did you just call me a white supremacist, Councillor Moise? That’s an appalling thing to say to a constituent,” Tate replied.
“I find you appalling,” the councillor said.
Moise then told Tate that he had harassed him and his staff for months. When Tate asked for an apology, Moise responded that he would never apologize, “because you are.”
The commissioner concluded the councillor acted in a derogatory manner towards an individual while in his official role.
“While under no obligation to engage with the complainant, the respondent decided to do so and his conduct in this interaction crossed the line; his words targeted the complainant personally,” Muldoon said.
In his report, he noted that the remark “singled out a constituent without evidence of a connection to white supremacist movements or beliefs.”
The commissioner did not, however, recommend issuing a penalty against Moise, only asking the council to adopt his findings.
Days later, city council voted to “receive” the report and did not accept Muldoon’s findings. Councillors also asked the commissioner to provide guidance on how to respond appropriately to discriminatory, hateful or harassing speech.
In a statement to CP24 last month, Moise disagreed with the commissioner’s report and maintained he had no regrets.
“We encourage our children and others that if they see something, say something. I will continue to say something when I see something. As an elected representative, it is incumbent on me to lead by example and stand up to racism, bigotry, and marginalization,” the councillor said.
“I will always stand up to white nationalism and white nationalist politics,” he added.
CP24 has reached out to Moise about his reimbursement request.
On Tuesday, Tate posted a video on the IntregrityTO’s Instagram responding to the motion.
“He wants complete reimbursement from the public purse, even though the integrity commissioner had found him in the wrong,” Tate said.
“Now, I don’t know about you, but if I was a city councillor, and I did something disrespectful to a constituent, and the integrity commissioner found that I was in fact wrong, well, I’d apologize, eat the cost, and move on. But in this case, Councillor Moise is doubling down.”
