| From the Mississauga News web-site (http://www.mississauga.com/article/full/fullview/WYR9-7B), if there are errors, please e-mail me with corrections: Opening comments - more at end. Jun. 24, 2001 - Mississauga News - By ? Audit request denied, but Carmen's angry City councillors have turned down a Mississauga resident's request to have Ward 1 councillor Carmen Corbasson's election expenses audited. At a special Friday meeting, councillors voted unanimously to deny the request for a compliance audit of Corbasson's financial statement in connection with last fall's municipal election. The councillors decided the applicant had provided no grounds to suggest a contravention of the Municipal Elections Act. The request for audit was based on the voter's apparent concern over Corbasson, who was acclaimed, spending nearly $24,000 on her campaign. A report from City Clerk Arthur Grannum concluded there was no basis for an audit and that the numbers being questioned were permissible expenses. Corbasson was angered by what she felt was an attempt to make her look bad. "I think it's a shame the Municipal Elections Act allows a totally unsubstantiated inquiry to be brought forward. It's an attempt to put a cloud over me as an elected official," said Corbasson. "It's a cloud I don't deserve and I'm very angry. I'm angry that a resident who doesn't vote for me can make this request, but that's what the Act allows and I now have to defend myself." The written request was sent to the City Clerk's office June 5 by Leroy Grey, a Ward 7 resident. In his submission, Grey listed five specific areas of concern relating to Corbasson's 2000 election campaign expenses, which totalled nearly $24,000. Corbasson said changes in the Elections Act are needed to prevent "unsubstantiated" allegations from hurting elected officials who have done nothing wrong. Councillors denied the request for an audit of Corbasson's records based on a recommendation from Grannum that stated, "... the applicant ... has not suggested or provided any grounds to indicate non-compliance with the Municipal Elections Act." [COMMENTS BY DON B. - ] |
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