We’re back again, to give you an opportunity to share your input on political issues.
Yesterday Toronto’s Mayor Rob Ford was found guilty of violating provincial conflict of interest rules and was forced to vacate the Toronto mayoralty. Earlier this month Montreal mayor Gérald Tremblay resigned in the face of conflict of interest violations alleged in the Charbonneau Commission. This coming April, Winnipeg’s Mayor, Sam Katz, will be in court over a conflict of interest lawsuit.
These three cases are alike yet different all at the same time. This week we’ll take a brief look at each circumstance and discuss whether they should all be treated the same or not.
Starting in Montreal, Gérald Tremblay’s resignation stems from allegations that he and his administration were involved in, or aware of, large illegal cash contributions to unions and governments from corporations bidding on construction contracts. This scandal is so massive in scale it required Provincial Officials to call for a a public inquiry known as the Charbonneau Commission. It is like something you would expect to see in the movies complete with corruption at the highest levels, exclusive clubs of the powerful elite of Montreal, and even ties to the notorious mafia crime family of Vito Rizzuto. This mayoral vacancy is high drama and comes without actual formal charges against the mayor, at least not yet. If it were found to be true that Tremblay received, or was aware of, funds being exchanged for construction contracts, it would be a pretty clear case of conflict of interest. From there, losing his job as mayor would only be the start of his concerns.
In Toronto, Rob Ford was forced out of office because he, as a city councilor in 2010 and before he was elected mayor, violated fundraising rules while soliciting donations for his football club’s charity. As a result he was expected to pay back a little over $3000. From my understanding, Ford ignored the fact he was expected to pay the donors back and a year later was elected mayor. This year he, along with other city council members, voted to rescind the previous decision that he would have to pay back the money and they would not pursue the matter any further. Because he didn’t pay back the donations, which relatively speaking is a small amount, and because spoke at and participated in the council vote the court found him guilty of conflict of interest charges resulting in removing him as Mayor of Toronto.
Now here in Winnipeg, Mayor Sam Katz will be in court this April over allegations he spent city money on a council Christmas party at a restaurant he used to own. The allegation is that Katz is in conflict because he is using city funds without a fair bidding process and that the money was used with someone he had previously had business dealings with.
As we can see these a three very different circumstances with varying degrees of severity. What do you think? Is conflict of interest a simple matter where no-matter the incident in question people should lose their jobs?
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