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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 4.
Mississauga News - Sept. 18, 2009 - By Louie Rosella, lrosella@mississauga.net
Sheridan College plan in jeopardy
Plans in jeopardy.
A new Sheridan College campus on these lands may be in jeopardy after a conflic-of-interest
matter involving Mayor Hazel McCallion came to light.
Her son Peter's (pictured) company, World Class Developments wanted to buy the land. Torstar Network
The City of Mississauga's plan to purchase a vacant 8.8-acre parcel of land near the Living Arts Centre for a new Sheridan College campus is in jeopardy after city councillors balked at approving the deal on Wednesday.
According to multiple sources, one of the issues preventing council from buying the land for $14.9 million from OMERS (Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System) is a concern about legal repercussions over a conflict-of-interest matter involving Mayor Hazel McCallion and another bid to buy the same property earlier this year.
The issue arose after it was made public this week that McCallion attended at least two private meetings last year involving her son Peter's company, World Class Developments (WCD), even though zoning for a hotel he hoped to build on the OMERS property was under active consideration by council.
The mayor did declare her conflict of interest on the issue and told The News today (Friday) she has "fully complied" with Municipal Conflict of Interest Act laws.
Still, councillors want an independent third party, likely a corporate lawyer, to review the situation.
Ward 6 Councillor Carolyn Parrish was upset that OMERS the Ontario municipal employees' pension plan that also owns Square One refused to give councillors a two-week extension to investigate their concerns.
"For them to not give us a two-week extension is shocking," she said. "(OMERS) has always been a good corporate citizen. I'm blown away."
OMERS company officials didn't return phone calls Friday.
Parrish wouldn't confirm that the conflict-of-interest issue was one of council's concerns. But, she said, there are several other questions about the potential deal.
A potentially toxic chemical called beryllium was found in the soil and has to be removed. Councillors are also trying to determine whether the purchase price of $14.9 million is fair market value.
"There are a variety of concerns, all representing the interests of the taxpayers," Parrish said.
McCallion confirmed today (Friday) that negotiations are ongoing to bring a Sheridan College campus to the property. If the City buys the property, it will lease it to the college. There are also plans to put a pay-for-parking lot on the property, City Hall sources said.
Sheridan spokesperson Susan Atkinson said the school is "watching with interest to see what comes out of this," but wouldn't comment further.
However, the conflict-of-interest issue continues to cast a dark cloud over a possible deal.
In 1982, McCallion was found guilty of violating the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act after taking part in a council discussion about releasing 3,800 acres of land some of which she and her husband Sam owned. However, she wasn't jailed or forced to vacate her seat because the judge determined it was an error in judgment.
Although the mayor declared a conflict of interest when WCD's hotel project came before council for a vote in April 2008, court documents show McCallion participated in discussions between City staff, the developer and a prospective hotel operator just over a month before council was to vote on the application.
"You cannot absolve yourself completely from major issues involving the city," McCallion said this week, defending her involvement.
The meetings, both before and after the mayor's public declarations of a conflict of interest, are described in documents lodged in Superior court by Tony DeCicco, WCD's general manager, to support a countersuit against OMERS after the deal fell through in 2009.
The entire mess landed in court this summer when, according to a letter from an OMERS lawyer, WCD was jeopardizing OMERS' ability to sell the land to another client by acting as if it still had a deal.
By December of last year, it became clear OMERS had lost faith in WCD's ability to close the deal. That's when the mayor found herself involved in a Dec. 15 meeting between DeCicco and OMERS.
"I was there and I don't quite know what else to say," she said.
McCallion added she was there to listen to the two sides of the story and didn't recall saying much.
Was it appropriate, she was asked?
"I have no comment ... " she replied. "I am answering it to the best of my ability. You can come to your own conclusion."
WCD officials refused to believe the land sale was dead even after OMERS terminated the deal in early January, court documents show.
The suit was recently settled, but city councillors have yet to see documents of the settlement.
Comments by others, 4, to this web-page;
The Mississauga Muse Sep 19, 2009 9:32 AM
Check out the Toronto Star article: "Hazel McCallion 'should know better'"
HAHAHAHAHAH. Check out today's Toronto Star article. This part: "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.'" "Cozy"? HAHAHAHA. LOOK AT THE PICTURE! HAHAHA. And Carlson saying, "He really should be doing his work in another city to make it easier for his mother." HeLLLLLOOOOOOH! "The Peter" is workin' Mississauga BECAUSE of his mother! re: Toronto Star headline, "Hazel McCallion 'should know better'." McCallion DOES. But she also knows that she's Above the Law.
* Agree 1 - Disagree
Think About It Sep 19, 2009 7:21 AM
Campaign picture # Dec. 15 2008
Are we in the right place? Must have been the wrong time Doctor John picked to absolve herself completely from campaigning and in a Dec. 15 meeting between DeCicco and OMERS? Its completely out of character?
The Mississauga Muse Sep 19, 2009 2:09 AM
Watch video of McCallion and OMERS Norbrega on January 22, 2009 at http://tiny.cc/2j4D2
Proves how important video is. MissyNews quote: "WCD officials refused to believe the land sale was dead even after OMERS terminated the deal in early January, court documents show." So here's video of what OMERS Norbrega and McCallion were doing on January 22, 2009 as they celebrated their successful Enersource Rogers Cable 10 Enersource Propanda-fest. Nice kiss on the cheek and hug. Of course the TV audience never got to see this. Didn't look like a dead-deal on January 22nd. I didn't call my video "GEORGE ORWELL MEETS MISSISSAUGA ENERSOURCE" for nothing. 'Jes sayin'. Here ya go. http://tiny.cc/2j4D2
* Agree 1
Think About It Sep 18, 2009 8:27 PM
Grade F/D- Failure with Dishonesty
That explains why the City of Mississauga has split and gone in completely opposite ends our Ministry of Colleges and Universities practices when the $66 million a year pooling was miscoordinating the books against our Ontario Certificate of Qualifications since 1997.
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