WHAT CONFLICT ? WHOSE INTEREST?

It's acknowledged ....Jon Stewart was never a journalist. I picked up the information somewhere. It may not be best that young people get their politics from comedians.Then again, it may be better than nothing. Lord knows adults can't be credited. What else would explain Donald Trump's claim to fame.

A small headline, never repeated,said if Trump gets the Republican nod,Letterman will come out of retirement. He might find it hard to resist. 

Headlines about Lawyer Rust D'Eye being "dogged" by allegations of conflict reminded me of information I received from him.

He conducted a workshop at the 2003 orientation meeting of Aurora Council on Conflict of Interest and stressed  the severity and risk entailed in new provincial legislation.

Next time we met, Mor of Mormac brought him around the council table to advise me that when Council retired behind closed doors to discuss a secret the Mayor refused to reveal, I should stay away. 

He asked had I retained a solicitor and suggested if the matter proceeded to litigation I might hear something to my financial advantage. As a consequence,I would be in a Conflict of Interest. 

I  attended the meeting. At this point,I had not been informed even why he was there. 

Mr. Rust D'Eye's advice eventually failed to satisfy the Motley Mormac Crew as well and lawyer John 

Mascarin replaced him as court favorite. 

The new lawyer gave similar advice  when I attended the closed meeting where the gangs' plans for my political demise  approached finality. Former Councilor Wilson observed discussion was awkward   while I was  listening. As a councillor, I had the same right as the rest to be there. The inappropriateness of the discussion entirely escaped all including the lawyer. 

 Instead, Mr.Mascarin intoned I should not be there because I might hear something to my pecuniary advantage should the matter proceed to litigation. 

Litigation was much in their minds it seemed. 

I stayed.

 Rust D'Eye had been top legal counsel for Metro Toronto before the city,boroughs and Metro were amalgamated into a single unit. Six massive administrations were collapsed into one. Many former public employees were left scrambling for available employment. A glut of Consultant outfits sprang up like fungi. 

Mascarin was introduced to Aurora by former clerk Bob Paniza, previously an associate when both were employed by the Town of Markham.

My experience as a Councillor went back to the days when experts in municipal law were scarcer than hen's teeth. Doug Lucas, legal advisor to York County was considered foremost municipal expert in Canada and he was not on any payroll. 

Few municipalities  had legal departments. There  wasn't a living to be made in private practice from municipal expertise before the days. 

I have known impressively intelligent lawyers  and others.

A long time ago, I learned I could not dispense with my own judgement. 

In this instance, Conflict of Interest meant the rascals were in it up to their necks. 

The town's interest was certainly not the one being served.