Parrish Versus McCallion? No Contest...

Memo lambasting McCallion goes public

15 April 2010 05:31

There was a chill at Mississauga city hall yesterday after a harshly worded memo by Coun. Carolyn Parrish was made public, in which she describes Mayor Hazel McCallion as “ungrateful, ungracious and downright rude.”

Parrish’s memo, sent to McCallion and copied to the rest of council last week, came after allegedly critical comments the mayor made regarding federal-provincial infrastructure funding at an event attended by the prime minister and the premier.

McCallion reportedly described the money going to a local project as a “drop in the bucket,” saying the funding doesn’t come close to addressing the needs of municipalities.

A furious Parrish wrote: “Typical of dozens of senior politicians who have been at the sharp end of your tongue in the past, and hoping to allay the always expected verbal onslaught, Mr. McGuinty began with flattery, calling you ‘the most powerful politician in Canada.’

“Instead of responding with the grace and dignity benefitting an experienced and senior politician, you appeared ungrateful, ungracious and downright rude,” she wrote.

The memo ends with Parrish telling McCallion she no longer controls council and does not speak for “most of this council.”

During a council meeting break yesterday, McCallion called the criticism a “misunderstanding” of what she had told reporters. She said it was one of the most harshly worded memos she had received as mayor.