EDITORIAL: The jig is up, Mr. D
Yorkregion.com
April 22, 2015
As we studied the city ethics czar’s exhaustive 97-page report on Vaughan Deputy Mayor Michael Di Biase’s recent conduct, we were deeply disturbed at the findings.
It feels like we’re mired in the muck of the old days.
Those of you who were around at the time might recall former mayor Linda Jackson’s claim she needed a front-end loader and a 40-yard bin to clean up the dirt from the previous administration at city hall, led by Di Biase.
While all the whisperings of wrongdoing, and even police probes, didn’t result in charges being laid or punishment meted out, it’s different this time around.
During her four-month-long investigation, integrity commissioner Suzanne Craig found Di Biase interfered in the city’s tendering process on behalf of one local company and intimidated and used abusive language with staff who opposed his meddling, thereby creating a “culture of fear”.
Craig goes on to report that some staff who willingly co-operated with her probe felt they were subsequently coming under scrutiny by Di Biase and now feared for their jobs.
In another instance, Craig found Di Biase was improperly using the power and influence of his office during the tendering process for city contracts.
In our view, this sort of behaviour has no place in our city.
And all Vaughan councillors and the mayor agree.
On Tuesday, council voted unanimously to impose the maximum penalty on Di Biase for his infractions of the city’s code of conduct rules, as recommended by Craig.
That means Di Biase will be docked three months pay, or the equivalent of about $21,000.
If you believe money talks, the city sent a mighty persuasive message it will not tolerate behaviour that undermines its reputation, erodes the public trust and corrodes a safe work environment for its staff.
Di Biase contends it wasn’t his intent to insert himself into the tendering process, and that his words were misinterpreted, as his lawyer argued.
He also asserts there’s no reason to believe he acted in bad faith. He says he has a deep concern for people and for the city of Vaughan.
Be that as it may, the ethics boss and all Di Biase’s council colleagues believe otherwise.
The veteran politician seems to have forgotten his place.
We’d like to take this opportunity to remind Di Biase of what his place is as a local and regional councillor and deputy mayor:
- Represent all the people of Vaughan. You can achieve this by putting the interests of the common folks first, above all else. When a resident calls you with a concern, that person is your “boss”, so answer your phone;
- Follow all the rules, including the code of conduct and the Vaughan Accord. As a veteran member of council with more than two decades worth of experience, there is absolutely no excuse for not knowing and following the rules and;
- Be a team player. Accept with good grace the findings of the integrity commissioner, apologize publicly for your behaviour and move on and do the job we elected you to do. That’s what the people of Vaughan expect and deserve.
