While a broad spectrum of citizens, columnists from competing newspapers and even the former provincial auditor are calling for mayor Peter Kelly to be held accountable for his role in the concerts scandal, Halifax council just wants the issue to fade away into the bureaucratic netherlands.
Last week, council declined to ask the RCMP to investigate the scandal, and council Tuesday refused to slap Kelly with a one-week suspension. Councillor Sue Uteck had given notice that she wanted the suspension debated next week, but a council majority rushed the motion so it could be dispensed with quickly; the motion failed on a 17-3 vote, with only Darren Fisher and Jim Smith joining Uteck. Collectively, council seems to want to deal only with the rather obscure bureaucratic changes recommended by auditor general Larry Munroe, by shuffling them off to council’s audit committee, and otherwise letting bygones be bygones.
Councillors express a range of opinions as to why they voted against the motion. Some fully support Kelly, while others think the motion was inappropriately rushed and needed more study. But whatever their reasons, the bottom line is the political leadership has decided there will be no accountability whatsoever for wrongdoing on the part of the mayor.
“That’s it,” says Uteck. “You know what, if [Kelly] blows a million dollars, whatever, it’s not my issue. Council won’t do anything about it, there’s no accountability, why should I try?”
Still, the scandal won’t go away. A group of citizens is planning a protest before next week’s council meeting; see the “Peter Kelly — Resign Now” Facebook page for details.
And new revelations about the scandal will continue to come out. Munroe has promised a follow-up to his initial report, looking specifically at the management of the Metro Centre, and a bevy of reporters is continuing to investigate the scandal. Council’s audit committee will take up the issue as soon as next Monday.
But so far, only one person has suffered any consequences whatsoever for the concerts scandal. After a specially called closed-door council meeting in March, top bureaucrat Wayne Anstey announced his immediate retirement, but Anstey was planning to retire in the summer anyway, and he will receive full benefits. The other people in City Hall named in Munroe’s report—Peter Kelly and retired CAO Dan English—have paid no price for their involvement.
Munroe also named two people at Trade Centre Limited. But former president Fred MacGillivray appears to be untouchable, happily collecting his hefty $1.2 million pension, and current president Scott Ferguson has not only suffered no consequences for what was clearly wrong-doing on his part, but has even been praised by Percy Paris, the minister overseeing Trade Centre.
Democratic accountability? Not in Nova Scotia.
This article appears in Jun 16-22, 2011.
TIM, any chance even one of the protester’s or anyone have issue with the other names who as you say are relatively unscathed by the entire scandal. The others named in the report 3 of which are nicely retired.
I was pleased to see Sue Uteck take this issue on head first, nobody else seemed to have the gravitas.
I’ve already told my councillor, Rankin, he cannot count on my vote next time.
Well if the the electorate is smart, there should only be three returning Councillors after the next election.
Yeah let’s have a protest proving to the rest of the country how this place can be so backwards. I think the ultimate protest would be not voting for Kelly or any members of council that are not serving the community. And I wouldn’t high-five Uteck because she is only serving her own ego and positioning herself for Peter’s chair.
“Quick, let’s distract the mindless proles by changing the name of a school!”
Gee, why did Fisher and Smith vote for this?
Let me think,let me think….
Oh that’s right!
Each of them owes their seat to Mike Savage!
What a surprise that they are laying the foundation for the cornation of Mayor Mike “I lost my seat, but I’ll take the mayor’s job” Savage.
Do you really think that they voted the way they did of a sense of justice?
Wow, you did?
Grow up.
Well if it’s only Savage and Kelly, then I’ll vote my Councilor and write beside the other two Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum, or Fuck face and Shit For Brains. I haven’t decided yet.