The City of Hamilton has once again allowed someone to drive distracted while participating in a City meeting.
Richie Khanna was driving his car while speaking to Hamilton’s Committee of Adjustment today (September 25), as a dozen city officials watched him on the large projector screen of the Council Chambers.
Khanna’s eyes went back and forth between looking at the roadway he was driving on, and looking at the WebEx video conference screen.
Here’s a short video clip of one of the three monitors in the Council Chambers showing the distracted driving.
Distracted driving is illegal in Ontario.
Richie Khanna is the principal of R&R Designs Inc., and is one of the most frequent agents representing property owners seeking minor variances from the City of Hamilton.
Today, he was speaking as the agent for a person seeking to expand their rural house.
He was visible on the Council Chamber video screens beginning at 3:24 p.m., and continued to participate until 4:14 p.m. when his application was approved.
Khanna was in his motor vehicle for the entire 50 minutes of his delegation and hearing. Despite seeing him on screen, and interacting with him, Committee Chair Dale Smith did not request that he stop the motor vehicle.
It is not the first time a person has participated in a City of Hamilton committee meeting while operating a motor vehicle.
In June 2021, Veterans’ Committee member Don Jackson participated in a WebEx video conference while operating a commercial vehicle on the QEW.
Last term’s City Council decided against issuing any consequences against Jackson.
The City of Hamilton does not have policies formally requiring that delegates not be in a moving motor vehicle.
For example, Ontario’s courts prohibit participants from being inside moving vehicles.
Production Details
v. 1.0.0
Published: September 25, 2025
Last updated: September 25, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
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v. 1.0.0 original version