CITY'S INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER THREATENS TO QUIT

There is an oxymoron....City & Integrity

CITY'S INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER THREATENS TO QUIT

Integrity commissioner David Mullan says he'll quit if Toronto council makes a habit of shelving his reports, as it did this week with his recommendation that a councillor be forced to apologize for "reckless" remarks made during last fall's civic election.

Mullan's report said Maria Augimeri (Ward 9, York Centre) should "make a full and unconditional apology to (then councillor) Dr. Peter Li Preti" for violating council's code of conduct.

If she refused to do so, the report said, Mullan was asked whether he would question staying in the job if his recommendations were passed over a couple of times in a row.

"Not only would I question it, I'd be gone," he replied.

"It's a matter of concern to me," Mullan told the Star.

His report to council noted that Augimeri left a voicemail message with local MP Judy Sgro "to the effect that Councillor Li Preti was under active police investigation."

Li Preti was the incumbent in Ward 8 and he wound up losing a close race to Anthony Perruzza, former long-time assistant to Augimeri.

Mullan's report said while there was no evidence Augimeri's remarks to Sgro had influenced the Ward 8 vote, her actions were "irresponsible and reckless."

Mullan became the city's first integrity commissioner in September 2004, following the MFP computer-leasing scandal that rocked city hall.

He said his four previous recommendations to council were adopted. None called for reprimanding a councillor.

Councillor Adam Vaughan (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina), who moved that council receive the report, said Mullan had actually written two reports.

The first had serious problems, Vaughan said, and in the end councillors felt they didn't need to take action.

"It's between (Augimeri) and Li Preti," Vaughan said. "We won't force anyone to apologize."

Mullan agreed he could think of legitimate reasons for council's passive response to his report, including the chance that it could lead to one of the parties taking legal action.

Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone said it's up to the commissioner to provide recommendations "however, council can take his advice or not."

There was nothing to be gained by council taking a position in this case, he said, though no one was questioning Mullan's logic.

"It was an election period," Pantalone said.

"People don't call it the crazy season for nothing."

There was not a recorded vote on Vaughan's motion to receive and put aside the Mullan report, but no councillors raised objections.