Scanned copy, if there are errors, please e-mail me with corrections: Opening comments: More at the end. They say, Gyles was the longest servicing black elected official in Canada. Now the question is, has he set a record for the number of charges and convictions? He also has to deal with charges relating to his election finances. He has beat Hazel McCallion's number from back in 1981. When we read about Mr. Gyles, do not think he is the only Mississauga elected official who should be before the courts and end up in jail, no, not by a long shot. The judge said "When such corruption is discovered, it taints the whole political arena for people who would vote, become candidates or do business within the system," Corruption takes many forms and in the case of the City of Mississauga, under the rule of Hazel McCallion, a culture has developed in City hall that is anti-Democracy and to hell with what is right or just or even the law in some cases, if you can get away with it - DO IT! Winning is eveything. We should look there to see the foundations for why Mr. Gyles got so out of line. And others, who have committed offences during elections. Like a GHOST candidate in a recent election. Are the taxpayers of Ward 5 really better off now that he is gone? (He did try to run for re-election in the 2003 Nov. elections & lost.) The person who was elected was Eve Adams. Her husband, Peter Adams and Imre Horvath (told a Brother-in-law) were each charged with possession of stolen property under $5,000, regarding the stolen election. Other candidates said hundreds of their election signs had disappeared. SO, is this really an improvement over Mr. Gyles? What a laugh it is to read this! Gyles jailed 2 1/2 years for taking bribes Judge calls crimes 'insidious assault on democracy' [ Below the caption under the lager picture of Gyles casually standing in front of the Peel court house with keys in hand. ] RON BULL / TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO - Cliff Gyles' seat on Mississauga council was declared vacant until November's municipal election after he was ordered jailed yesterday. The sentence is for municipal corruption and breach of trust. Mississauga Councillor Cliff Gyles has been sentenced to 2 1/2 years in a federal penitentiary for accepting $35,000 in bribes in return for supporting two rezoning applications, crimes a Superior Court judge termed "a clandestine and insidious assault on democracy." Less than one hour after the sentencing yesterday in a Brampton court, Mississauga council unanimously passed a resolution declaring his seat vacant until the Nov. 10 municipal election. "It's been a stress on the council, and a stress on the staff and it certainly has been a concern in the ward." Mayor Hazel McCallion said in an interview. "Now it's over. "We had many requests for us to take action but we had no jurisdiction at all. It was entirely up to the courts and we followed the letter of the law 100 per cent,” McCallion said. Throughout the two-year legal process, Gyles remained in office, collecting his $85,000-a-year salary. He had also registered to run again in the Malton area's Ward 5 in the coming election. Gyles appeared calm as a court officer led him to holding cells afterward. He didn't spend much time in custody after the sentencing. Defence lawyer Alan Gold persuaded a Toronto court yesterday to release Gyles on bail, pending the outcome of a request to appeal the conviction and sentence. Gyles was convicted of one count each of municipal corruption and breach of trust receiving 2 1/2 years for accepting $25,000 of a bribe demand of $50,000, and two years concurrent for collecting $10,000 of a $20,000 bribe demand. Madam Justice Bonnie Wein noted that because Gyles is a first-time offender, he can use an early parole provision to serve as little as one-sixth (about five months) of his total sentence behind bars. In apologizing only for an "an error in judgement:' Gyles was "devoid of any real remorse," Wein said, adding that in both cases he was the instigator and was caught red-handed. ''The offences were a sophisticated and deliberate plot to obtain (bribe) money" Wein, said, adding she isn't sure if Gyles "comprehends the seriousness" of his offences. Earlier in the sentencing hearing, Gold suggested that a fine, or a conditional sentence of house arrest be applied. But Wein countered that those types of sentences are given for guilty pleas or with mitigating circumstances, neither of which applied in this case. When such corruption is discovered, it taints the whole political arena for people who would vote, become candidates or do business within the system, the judge said. The contribution, Gyles can now make to the community "is to serve as a warning to others and the way to do that is in penitentiary, "Wein said Gyles, 59, had served on council since 1997. Prior to that he was a public school trustee for 17 years and worked in management for the federal public Works department. Gyles was also ordered to repay $10,000 he took from Mallet Dhaliwal. The money was given in return for a promise to help rezone agricultural land for a trucking school. Dhaliwal paid it under the threat that Gyles would hold up his application indefinitely. He must also repay Peel police $6,600 of $25,000 in marked bills given to him by businessman Rick Benisasia, who was wired and under surveillance after going to police. Gyles told the trial he used it to help with his legal bills. Benisasia had applied to rezone the former Malton Royal Canadian Legion Hall for a funeral home. He got the rezoning lawfully, after Gyles arrest. [COMMENTS BY DON B. - ] |
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