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Opening comments: More at the end.
To the main Judicial Inquiry page - to the Hazel McCallion page.
Comments by others to this web-page 6.
Mississauga News - Sept. 19, 2009 - By Torstar Network, mississauganews@live.com
Councillors criticize McCallion
Conflict.
In this dated picture Mayor Hazel McCallion celebrates her victory
in a municipal election with her sons Peter (left) and Paul. McCallion
is facing criticism from her councillors
on her role in a land deal involving her son Peter. Staff photo by Rob Beintema
Several Mississauga councillors, including one of Hazel McCallion's keenest supporters, were critical yesterday of revelations the veteran mayor had participated in meetings involving her son's land deal while it was before council.
McCallion declared a conflict of interest when the proposal for a hotel-convention centre near city hall being flogged by her realtor son Peter McCallion came before council in April 2008.
But court documents from a business dispute show she participated in at least two private meetings before and after that declaration.
The project, which fell apart early this year when the landowner backed away from the deal, involved a $14.4 million land purchase for two parcels from OMERS, a giant pension fund that owns the adjacent Square One mall. The project could not have gone ahead without the city approving the site plan and lifting zoning restrictions.
The harshest criticism came from Councillor Sue McFadden, who said McCallion should have known better after a 1981 case in which a judge ruled McCallion had breached conflict-of-interest rules by getting involved in a debate over development in a neighbourhood where she lived.
The judge, however, said there was no wrongful intent involved, and didn't impose a penalty.
"She should know better," said McFadden. "She always tells us, as head of council, that it's all (about) perception.''
Earlier this week, McCallion defended her actions by saying she could not absolve herself completely from city matters even when they involved her son, adding she believed conflict of interest provisions applied only to council meetings.
Councillor Pat Saito, normally a staunch ally of McCallion, said that had she found herself in that situation, she would not have taken part in discussions.
"I would not be able to meet privately on it because of the perception," Saito said. She added that she'd always known the mayor wanted a hotel-convention centre near city hall.
"She probably did make a mistake with her continued involvement (in that idea) when her son got involved," said Saito, adding she still has the highest regard for McCallion.
Councillor Carolyn Parrish, who has spiritedly jousted with the mayor on several occasions, said she found it "mildly curious" that McCallion would declare a conflict in formal council meetings but not at off-site meetings.
"If I were in the same situation, with all the same circumstances, I would be declaring a conflict of interest and I would ask my son to do his development in Winnipeg," she said.
Councillor George Carlson said Peter McCallion's involvement in the development industry in Mississauga has made it constantly awkward for his mother.
"There's no way around it," said Carlson. "He really should be doing his work in another city to make it easier for his mother ... there's always a perception it is a little too cozy."
Comments by others, 6, to this web-page;
Think About It Sep 21, 2009 10:45 AM
One Stop Shopping
McCallion resigning would look like Ken Lay handing the power plug at Enron over to Jeffery Skilling’s. Mulroney was just as surprised finding a 15 year subpoena lurking around with a receipt for 34 Airbuses flying into Malton? Looking out for number 1 son was supposedly to be about fairness on employment and entrepreneurships, not perception
Canadians Sep 20, 2009 10:41 AM
End times in Mississauga
Could be travelling down the path of Vaughan. One VERY BIG eye-opener. Call it a day, Mayor. Resign now.
* Agree 2
Think About It Sep 19, 2009 7:37 PM
The End Of An Error
It’ll definitely have lawyers and judges wondering if there’s just been a new legal precedence set in Mississauga. If McCallion run into conflict of interest 3 times without being charged, it’ll just be another unwritten Nandoed era of broken rules
Uatu Sep 19, 2009 6:32 PM
It's really simple for Peter
Since his mother insists she has to be involved in all matters concerning the City, if Peter McCallion wants to do business in Mississauga he needs to persuade Hazel to retire and convince her not to run again. Otherwise, a real conflict of interest, not just the appearance of one, is inevitable because Hazel has already shown that she can't be trusted to absolve herself. According to this story, she's even said so.
* Agree 1
The Mississauga Muse Sep 19, 2009 3:41 PM
Kay kay... let's get this straight
Let's say we-Canadians read in the papers about some Mayor in some corner of the world who's been in power for over 30 years with no viable political challenger during most of that time, with no viable media, no external scrutiny period (zero), who saw that city grow from farm fields and apple orchards to urban sprawl, who has a millionaire-plus developer-son and another with the local police department and who after three decades of playing the insides and outs of policies and by-laws then (quote MissyNews) “defended her actions by saying she could not absolve herself completely from city matters even when they involved her son, adding she believed conflict of interest provisions applied only to council meetings” and those citizens swallowed that, we’d think they are Grade A chumps. But Mississaugans do it. We swallow that “Trust, Quality, Excellence” hook, line and stinker. ZERO DOUBT. Conflict of Interest.
* Agree 1
Think About It Sep 19, 2009 12:26 PM
The Perceptionist
With respect to a former Minister of Industry, Sandra Pupatello’s revelation’s to fraud, misrepresentation , professional negligence and concealing information from the crown, the perception from Mrs. McCallion’s employment and entrepreneurships letter in reference to January 29 2002 were charged in reference to similar various criminal codes http://hansardindex.ontla.on.ca/hansardETITLE/37-2/L056A-52.html#BeginOfTitle
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