Something Fishy in Aurora has left a new comment on your post "Mayor Rob Ford":
What will be interesting to see is how much may be spent to bring this to court. Over something that was about $3000
Not saying that upholding the rules is not important...but....
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We do have an idea of how much could be spent.
Before the tap was turned off in Aurora, for three residents being sued, cost to the town $63,000. $55,000, for work that was discontinued. $8,500 for the new Council to be advised.
Costs for residents to defend themselves against deep pockets of the municipality were close to $100,000 and rising.
In contrast, Rob Ford had a Code of Conduct complaint filed against him on an issue of $3,000, of charitable contributions solicited on city stationery
The process which found him at fault, likely cost considerably more.. A legal defence, if he availed himself would be $20,000.
The Integrity Commissioner ruled he must repay the money.
The ruling had a price tag.
City Council voted to support the ruling. They have the authority.
Councillor Ford did not conform. He was reminded several times.
The process has a price tag.
The Integrity Commissioner's Annual Report has a price tag.
It reminded Council of the outstanding ruling.
Council voted not to enforce the ruling.
They have that authority.
Why did they change their decision?
Likely because,other than court action no other option was available.
A Code of Conduct process cannot result in a Councillor being charged with an offence
. What petition could be taken to court?
Provincial regulations governing the permissible Code of Conduct are like a wide meshed sieve. Designed not to catch anything.
They were not designed to settle political scores either.
But there's another aspect.
Rob Ford has been a regular and easy target for score-settling. He's a big, blundering fellow.
The complaint filed against him about improper use of city stationary, does not rule out the possibility other Councillors may have similarly exploited that advantage..
The vote not to enforce the Integrity Commissioner's ruling could have been influenced by more than a single factor. .
The Code of Conduct may become a relevant factor in that trial of Conflict of Interest ,within the context of the reality of city conduct.in general.
Mayor Rob Ford's Conflict of Interest charges over $3,000, charitable contributions to a kid's football team, as a personal pecuniary interest, makes him a piker in contrast to the one we all know about.
The stated objective of taking him out of elected office is not bound to happen.
Residents are still having to retain lawyers as Morris refuses to pay costs. This is now before the courts with all the ensuing costs and loss of time for jobs and family. Her last quote to the Auroran was about ' her terrible burden' . What burden?
ReplyDeleteYou have more faith than I in the ability of the law not to make an ass of itself. Ruby wouldn't touch this if he was not secure in the case itself. The problem will lie in how the public views this thing. He may not have taken that into account.
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ReplyDeleteAnd this my friends is exactly the kind of mindless bullshit that pisses off the constituents again and again , it’s this, can't play nice in the sand box mentality that the politicians crave ,its all about tit for tat , instead of spending their time wisely, taking care of the business they were elected to take care of ,Is it any wonder politics is attracting fewer and fewer quality candidates ,who in their right mind would sign up for this tour.
ReplyDeleteWe in Aurora are going to have to wait and see who exactly signed up for our Council as it is in their hands now. We elected them and have to take the consequences. Not holding out a great deal of hope but we really did try to get it right with the number of votes we had.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know how Hazel M is doing ?
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ReplyDeleteSo what is your solution? Turn it over to the greedy social activists so that they can drain the treasury without accountability?? Like you maybe ?
It is March 14th. How is the Cultural Centre contract renegotiation committee doing? Who is on it?
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