Hamilton Ward 8 council hopeful Dawn Danko has labeled attack advertising, including flyers and a robocall referencing her spouse, a former city councillor, as a “smear campaign” aimed at causing confusion among voters. The advertisers, however, defend their actions.
The attack ads, disseminated through various mediums such as print, social media, and robocalls, point to Danko’s husband, John-Paul Danko, for raising taxes and supporting a “rain tax,” a term critics use for a stormwater services fee scheduled for implementation by the city in 2028. Dawn clarified that the ads inaccurately portray her record, emphasizing that it is her husband’s actions highlighted in the ads.
Expressing her concerns as the Ontario municipal elections draw near, Danko criticized the ads as a deliberate attempt to mislead voters. She highlighted that the ads are based on matters she has not been involved in personally. In a video posted on YouTube, the candidate condemned the ads as part of a calculated “smear campaign.”
Furthermore, an individual named Dennis Weyer, identified as the initiator of the robocall, defended his actions as exercising his democratic right to voice concerns important to Hamilton taxpayers. Weyer’s website combines factual information with opinion and satire, featuring AI-generated images of Dawn and John-Paul Danko. He stressed the relevance of John-Paul Danko’s voting history and emphasized that voters have the right to question whether Dawn would align with her husband’s past decisions.
Another individual, Christopher Collins, associated with the concernedtaxpayersofhamilton.com website, also ran ads referencing “Danko tax hikes” and the “Danko rain tax.” Collins, who is campaigning against the tax hikes, highlighted the importance of voters scrutinizing voting records and forming their own conclusions.
Responding to allegations of collaboration with former city councillor Terry Whitehead, both Weyer and Collins denied any association, asserting their independent campaigning efforts. Whitehead also distanced himself from any involvement in third-party advertising campaigns, emphasizing the democratic nature of scrutinizing public officials’ voting records.
Danko acknowledged the supportive messages and donations she received in response to the attack ads, suggesting that individuals’ reactions to the ads reflect their character. She reported the print ads to the city clerk, who deemed them acceptable after an investigation.
The City of Hamilton was contacted for confirmation regarding the assessment of Collins’ and Weyer’s ads but did not respond before publication.