HAGERSVILLE—Things took an unexpected turn at the tail end of the Hagersville All Candidates Night, held at the Legion by the Hagersville and District Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
Following what had been an orderly debate to that point, incumbent mayoral candidate Shelley Ann Bentley took the microphone to deliver her closing remarks.
At first, she appeared to be giving a routine speech.
“I want to return to a question I ask myself more than any other,” she said. “What kind of Haldimand are we leaving for the next generation, because leadership isn’t about slogans or fear mongering, it’s about building something real, something lasting, and something our kids can be proud of.”
From there, the mayor appeared to deviate from her prepared words.
“I have a big speech here and it’s about two minutes long, but I actually want all the audience just to stand up please and turn around,” said the mayor. “Stand up please, thanks. Face the wall. I think you can see about five people standing against that wall. Those five people have terrorized me and other members of Council for the last four years.”
—Screenshot from a Hagersville Chamber of Commerce video.
From there, a temporary moment of chaos erupted. Supporters of the mayor pointed and yelled accusations at those identified by the mayor, who responded in turn.
The five people she identified are not visible in a video of the debate shared to Facebook.
Chamber President and event moderator Rob Phillips then interjected, saying, “This platform is about respect. Please stay on the topic of your speech. They promised respect to the candidates, please give it back to them.”
“That is why you don’t have Anna here,” replied Bentley, referring to Ward 4 candidate Anna Mroz, who withdrew her candidacy. See more on Mroz’s withdrawal on Page 10.
From there, the mayor continued.
“We want our young people to be here, we want our young people to stay here and come back to roost at home,” she said. “We have a wonderful community here; it does not have to be terrorized by 10 people.”
She then returned to what appeared to be her original speech.
Phillips addressed the incident in a statement sent to The Press.
“While we can sympathize with the toxic environment that social media has created for all election candidates, the Chamber set out the ground rules for respectful behavior and interaction between the audience and the candidates,” he said.
Phillips stressed that the Chamber is not interested in influencing voters’ decisions, and that the event was largely well-organized and run.
The Press spoke to some of the individuals implicated by the mayor.
Tara Lindemann is a journalist who has previously covered Haldimand for both The Haldimand Press and The Sachem and now works outside of the county. She is a moderator for the online group ‘Haldimand County Politics’ and has been known to share her opinion on the actions of local politicians, including the mayor, MPP Bobbi Ann Brady, and councillors Brad Adams and Debera McKeen.
In a statement provided to The Press, Lindemann described the moment.
“I turned around like everyone, initially confused – and then I heard ‘people’ and ‘wall’ … I understood. I knew what she was doing. It was the same tactic our MPP had used at the International Women’s Day event in Dunnville earlier this year — an incident that was filmed by Ward 4 Councillor Brad Adams and later posted to social media.”
In video footage from that event, Brady accused Lindemann of bullying behaviour in her speech, saying: “There is a female reporter, whose work outside of the newsroom often crosses a line, treating journalism like gossip and online commentary like paparazzi coverage. She spends her free time disparaging me personally … Whatever the reason, it is not called for and it is in poor taste.”
Lindemann shared her experience of the incident last Wednesday: “As Mayor Bentley began her verbal assault, I turned back to face the crowd,” she said. “I witnessed her partner, Rick Beaudet, laughing and shouting with his arms up, actively pointing at us. Councillor Debra McKeen was looking and laughing. Her husband was jeering.”
Lindemann said she hasn’t reported on local events for the past two years but has “become publicly critical of the unethical politicking and schoolyard bully tactics by the mayor and her core supporters; CARD-affiliated members of council; as well as that of their vocal allies, MPP Bobbi Ann Brady and former MPP Toby Barrett … It’s not terrorism. It’s democracy, the very word they’ve abused since 2022.”
She described “retaliation” she has faced to her criticism, noting she has been a target of “innumerable unfounded and often ridiculous accusations, aggressive confrontations, and bullying, sometimes at council meetings, always on social media, and a few on the road.”
Lindemann said she never felt unsafe at the Hagersville event, despite being offered protection by others in the room following the escalation.
Like Lindemann, local resident and former Ward 4 candidate James Kaspersetz has been outspoken in his criticism of the mayor, the MPP, and their supporters on social media, and often debating with them on a range of issues.
“My whole focus has been making people aware of the important issues in (Haldimand). I do not appreciate the misinformation that the mayor provides with respect to development,” said Kaspersetz on why he is so vocal online.
“The crowd was stunned to say the least,” he said of the mayor’s concluding speech, also noting he never felt unsafe in the moment.
Mary Little, another of those accused by Bentley, said she was still fearful for her safety six days after the debate.
“I was shocked and appalled, as were many of the citizens and other candidates at the Hagersville Legion. A major theme of the night was on inclusivity, equality, and community,” she said. “I was fearful as the mayor just initiated contempt, ridicule, and hatred in front of a large crowd … and also in front of some of her supporters.”
Little is the mother of mayoral candidate Jesse Little, moderates the social media page ‘Haldimand Council Pulse’, and organized the Ward 2 candidates debate in Cayuga on October 13.
The Press reached out to the mayor for further comment on her remarks. We also contacted Integrity Commissioner David Boghosian to ask if Bentley’s public accusation constituted a breach of conduct. Neither responded to our request prior to publication.
The event followed a separate escalation at the candidate debate held in Cayuga the night before, where a member of the audience became irate after asking where they were supposed to pre-submit questions ahead of the debate.
The participant accused event organizer Mary Little of not accepting questions they “didn’t like,” before launching profanity-laced shouts at Ward 2 candidate John Metcalfe, demanding to know why he changed his vote on the Nanticoke MZO.
