The actions of a Toronto court services employee are under review after a heated Facebook exchange about cycling.

“I hate bikes because they are wreckless (sic), put me at risk and try to bully,” Rob Halas wrote earlier this month on Facebook.

“Don’t worry, some big changes have come to the Highway Traffic Act where we can now suspend your driver’s license for offences on your bike. Love it,” Halas wrote. “I love it more when I do the suspending.”

In a private online conversation initiated by a critical observer, Halas referred to the critic as a “womenly (sic) b----” and suggested the man had “been smacked like women publickly (sic).” A record of the exchange was provided to the Star.

A LinkedIn profile identifies a Rob Halas of Toronto as an administration employee with the city’s court services department. The Facebook and LinkedIn accounts share the same profile picture, though the photo and information on his professional page have been removed.

Reached by phone, Halas refused to comment after the Star read him the Facebook remarks and asked if he was aware his actions are under review.

“Anything that has to do with that you’re going to have to speak to the city’s media department about because we’re not supposed to be commenting and speaking to the media,” he said.

About the private exchange, Halas said: “I had a private conversation with someone and I’m not interested in commenting to anyone else.”

City of Toronto spokeswoman Wynna Brown confirmed Halas is an employee, but said she couldn’t comment on human resources matters.

“I can advise that court services is reviewing this and will determine appropriate steps following their review,” she wrote in an email. Brown said the city may be able to provide further information when the investigation is complete.

The court services review comes a week after three Toronto firefighters lost their jobs over social media activity the department’s chief found violated city policies.

That month-long investigation, launched after tweets and other online posts seen as degrading to women were made public, raised questions about what public employees should be able to say on their own time.

The Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association expressed outrage over the firings and vowed to work to reinstate the three employees’ jobs.

It is not clear exactly what Halas meant in his Facebook comments when he referred to “big changes” to the Highway Traffic Act that allow for the suspension of a driver’s licence for “offences on your bike.”

The city spokeswoman said a driver’s licence can be suspended if a person has unpaid cycling fines, but only the transportation ministry has the power to do the suspending.

However, court administration employees are responsible for reviewing the computerized list of unpaid fines and updating the record indicating a person is eligible for suspension. The ministry takes it from there. The person must pay all fines to the court office and a $150 fee to the transportation ministry in order to have their licence reinstated, Brown said.

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The Facebook exchange between Halas and others took place on Sept. 13 after he wrote a comment on an article that had been shared by a friend — the widely circulated open letter to Mayor Rob Ford written by an injured cyclist. He and the sharer of the article are no longer Facebook friends.

Damir Maltaric, a Toronto civics and English teacher who does not know Halas personally but has a mutual friend, witnessed the exchange and was appalled to learn Halas is a city employee.

“He’s supposed to be in an unbiased post working for the citizens of Toronto, not against a portion of them,” Maltaric said.

It is one thing to have an opinion that others disagree with, Maltaric said, and another for a court employee to suggest the power he wields may be influenced by his personal beliefs.

The Facebook exchange began with Halas appearing to make an argument in favour of licensing cyclists: “What does the war between bikes and cars have to do with bikes paying their fair share and being accountable as a licensed vehicle?” he wrote. “Share the road, not the bill for it? I don’t get it. I’m not asking for a war. Everyone shares the road, everyone should pay for it. Everyone shares the road, everyone should follow the rules of the road. I’m asking for equality.”

When oneparticipant in the Facebook conversation questioned whether bicycle licensing makes sense, Halas responded: “Ya, it costs $90 to administrate purchasing a 50 cent sticker and updating a database. So please keep going through those stop signs and being run over under cars. Enjoy it, sounds fun.”

Maltaric, in anger, wrote Halas a private message, which he now grants was perhaps a bit inflammatory. “You need help,” Maltaric wrote. “Please try and get it, for the sake of other road users.”

Maltaric provided a screen capture of the entire private exchange to the Star.

“You need help,” Halas responded. “Please get some brains. Please get some for the sake of your mother. She’s embarrassed. For the sake of humanity have a vasectomy.”

“With people like you on the road,” Maltaric wrote, “I don’t need a vasectomy.”

Halas responded: “You look like a womenly b----. I’m willing to wager you’ve been smacked like women publickly.”

Maltaric, who had recently wrapped up a discussion with his high school civics class about the Toronto firefighters who lost their jobs due to questionable tweets, said Halas’s behaviour inspired him to take action.

He submitted a complaint to the city and Ford’s office on Sept. 13. The mayor’s office did not respond. Court services had not received the complaint when contacted by the Star, but launched a review afterward.

“Civil servants should be held to a higher moral standard,” Maltaric said in his complaint, “than online trolls.”

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