‘I’m not holding the phone!;’ Toronto city councillor gets flack for voting on budget while driving

There was a bizarre moment near the end of Toronto City Council’s nine-hour marathon meeting on Thursday.

During the virtual council meeting to finalize the city budget, Toronto-Danforth Councillor Paula Fletcher was called out by others for voting on motions while driving.

Fletcher claimed a staff member was holding the phone and lifted both her hands to show she was not in fact holding the phone herself. She then demanded the phone be switched off, and dropped out of the meeting.

She later rejoined after the mayor and city clerk said no rule exists that prohibit councillors from taking part in a meeting while driving.