Councillor Mark Grimes's campaign spending questioned

Toronto's compliance audit committee will hear resident Michael Craig's complaint on Aug. 25.

Thestar.com
Aug. 17, 2015
By David Rider

An Etobicoke resident is asking the City of Toronto to audit the 2014 re-election campaign expenses of Mark Grimes, the longtime councillor for Ward 6 Etobicoke-Lakeshore.

Mark Craig will make his case to the compliance audit committee on Aug. 25.

In his application made public Tuesday, Craig alleges that Grimes “massively overspent” to get re-elected. The city says the council campaign limit for Ward 6, based on its population, was $40,432.25.

Candidates have to fully account for spending, including the fair market value of discounted or gifted resources.

Craig questions expenses including:

• Production costs for dozens of short online campaign videos, many of them featuring endorsements from people including Councillor Norm Kelly. Craig says the reported $3,200 spent on the videos and photography is far under market value.
• The cost of trucks with flashing lights and Grimes signs that Craig says drove main streets toward the end of the campaign. Craig says he can find no accounting for the costs of truck rental or gas. Grimes’s family owns a trucking company.
• Grimes listed no staff salaries. Craig questions if two campaign workers were in fact paid.
• Brochure production and distribution expenses.

At the hearing, Grimes or a representative will be able to argue why the audit is unnecessary.

If the three-member panel orders an audit, and it finds evidence of overspending, the panel can refer it to a special prosecutor for possible prosecution under the Municipal Elections Act.

The CBC reported in February that Michael Craig filed a complaint against Grimes with Toronto’s integrity commissioner, alleging concerns over Grimes’s dealings with developers. The commissioner will not confirm if that resulted in any probe.

The Star reported in July 2014 that, when Rob Ford made a mayoral re-election campaign appearance at an Etobicoke park, Craig tried to ask him about his voting record on parks improvements.

Asked by a Star reporter at the event for comment on Ford’s alleged hypocrisy, Grimes said: “He’s the mayor. I don’t need to comment on that.”

Grimes has not yet responded to the Star’s request for comment.