[URBAN NOTE] "Doug Ford violated Toronto city council’s code of conduct, watchdog rules"

[rfmcdonald]

The Globe and Mail's Jeff Gray reports on how Doug found has been guilty of violating Toronto city council's code of conduct on business matters. Ford, for his part, refuses to recognize even the authority of the relevant watchdog.

Former councillor Doug Ford broke council rules when he tried to help two clients of his family’s business in their dealings with the city, Toronto’s integrity commissioner says.

But in a report headed to city council next week, integrity commissioner Valerie Jepson recommends that Mr. Ford receive no penalty because her office can only issue reprimands or dock a politician’s pay, and he is no longer a councillor.

Ms. Jepson concludes that Mr. Ford violated council’s code of conduct rule against accepting gifts when he attended a Rogers Cup tennis event and dinner, along with his mother, at the invitation of Apollo Health & Beauty, a customer of Deco Labels and Tags Ltd.

Her report also finds that Mr. Ford violated code of conduct rules against the “improper use of influence” during his term by making inquiries and arranging meetings with city officials on behalf of Apollo and another Deco client, U.S. printing giant RR Donnelley and Sons, which was seeking to do business with the city.

The allegations were published in Globe and Mail investigations in 2014 – stories that prompted ethics watchdog Democracy Watch and others to file complaints to the integrity commissioner, who polices the conduct of councillors.