It was bad enough last year when West Lincoln Mayor Dave Bylsma offered less than acceptable comments regarding LGTBQ, Pride and Black Lives Matter, but he apparently has sunk to a new low. In this particular incident, Mr. Bylsma felt it appropriate to ask a woman if her recent COVID-19 vaccination was affecting her menstrual cycle.
If it he thought it was none of his business, why was he even asking?
If Bylsma is seeking information on side-effects of vaccines, perhaps he may wish to consult medical journals rather than conducting his own research and invading someone’s personal medical information with an offensive and disrespectful question.
This bizarre behaviour has raised the ire of Regional Council Chairman Jim Bradley who stated that:
“This behaviour is not becoming of a Regional Councillor, nor is it the type of conduct the public expects and deserves from an elected official”.
You can read more comments from the Regional Chair at this link here.
This latest scandal follows in the wake of Mayor Bylsma having already received much rebuke from his constituents and Regional Council for his anti-mask rhetoric and attendance at anti-lockdown rallies. Mayor Bylsma is part of Liberty Coalition Canada’s “End The Lockdown Caucus” alongside with two other Niagara politicians, a Councillor from West Lincoln and a Councillor from Grimsby.
It appears that there may be more than just a reprimand from Regional Council in Mr. Bylsma’s future. He has previously received a reprimand at Regional Council for his 2020 comments and now faces another Code of Conduct complaint for his attendance at an April 10, 2021 anti-lockdown event.
This is a classic example where recall legislation is more than appropriate.