Spotlight on Hate.

I talked to the Chief of Police about the hate mail. It was circulated to Councillors and the Director of Corporate Services.

At last reference, I thought there was little the police could do about it. Then I learned it had been forwarded to the Director of Corporate Services. It was also shown to an RCMP officer who agreed it was a serious matter. So I talked to Armand LaBarge, the Chief of Police.

He told me it wasn't threatening. I knew that. Only about two cases are prosecuted in a year and they are usually directed against a group or an organization. Identifying the culprit would be difficult. Sufficient evidence for a charge that could be prosecuted would be unlikely. Like I said, there was little the police could do about it.

I turned to my own resources and without trying very hard, established certain facts. Material that arrives at the town hall, by mail, across the reception desk or through the mail slot into the building, is taken to the department of corporate services. It is date-stamped as received.

It is distributed by staff to the various parties addressed. Bob Panizza, Director of Corporate Services, received a copy from the Mayor's office.

The original came to me in an unmarked envelope in my agenda package. Everything from my mail box in the councillors' room comes that way. The letter indicated it would be circulated to all councillors. It did not bear the town stamp.

The councillors room is secure. No one has access except the Director's staff and councillors. Since it was not received or distributed by staff, it is reasonable to assume it was distributed by a person with access to the Councillors room. It would therefore have to have been a member of Council.

I would bet my last dollar it was neither Councillors Bob McRoberts nor Alison Collins-Mrakas. I doubt it was the Mayor or several other councillors. So it comes down to the individual who does the hate thing regularly although always by e-mail and never before anonymously.

The writer claimed refuge in anonymity out of fear she said. The only potential for fear would be recognition of the capacity for hatred that renders a person completely incapable of rational thought.

And Oh yes! we have a Code of Conduct coming through. Had the writer identified herself, the letter would certainly have contravened the Code, been a cause for complaint and investigation by an Integrity Commissioner, at the expense of the taxpayers, whose interests we are all supposed to be representing.

One of the accusations made against me in the letter is that I am the cause of all the legal costs generated during this term. The $16,200 George Rust-D'Eye legal bill was to "explore" options for council to "deal with my behaviour".

Success in life is measured on a personal scale. My own is simple. To rise in the morning at peace with myself. To have a zest for living. Envying no one. A worthwhile task at hand to accomplish and the wherewithall to make a contribution to one's community. Life doesn't get any better than that in my book.

All the rest is piffle. Costly piffle but piffle nevertheless.