Pubdate: Wed, 25 Mar 2009 Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON) Copyright: 2009 Canoe Limited Partnership Contact: http://www.ottawasun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329 Author: Susan Sherring E-MAIL POTSHOT LEADS TO SORRY MESS Apparently, being a city councillor means never being forced to say you're sorry. That was the message yesterday given to Russell Barth, who last summer e-mailed his councillor Gord Hunter, complaining he felt his human rights had been violated. Barth asked to meet with Hunter after he was told to stop smoking a joint outside a comedy bar. Barth was shocked at Hunter's reply last year, and looked to councillors yesterday to do something to Hunter for his "vitriolic" response. "Tough luck on you that you feel you had your human rights violated. Tough luck on the taxpayers of Ontario that you feel this is a serious matter," Hunter replied in an e-mail last August. "Bully for you that you can legally smoke dope. I do not feel that gives you the right to shove it in anyone else's face," Hunter writes. Councillors said while they disagreed with Hunter's e-mail outburst, there was little they could do to force what they see as good behaviour onto their colleagues. Instead, they essentially told Barth that voter revenge during the election was his only real outlet. "Accountability is at the ballot box," Bay Coun. Alex Cullen told Barth. Gloucester-Southgate Coun. Diane Deans took it a step further. "On behalf of city council, I'd like to apologize," she said. Well, nice, but of course Deans has no authority to apologize on behalf of council or for Hunter. After the meeting, Deans admitted she "misspoke" when she apologized on behalf of council. "I wanted to distance myself from those comments. I don't think anyone has the right to be rude and that was over-the-top," she said. "I did notice that none of my colleagues objected." Ironically enough, when Hunter heard Deans had apologized on his behalf, he fired off yet another nasty e-mail, this one to her. "Who died and made you mayor?" Hunter wrote yesterday, telling Deans that he didn't appreciate her undermining his position. Hunter told the Sun he had nothing to apologize for. "By his own admission, (Barth's) an ill person. I don't think (my comments) were out of line and I stand by what I said," Hunter said. Much of what was discussed at yesterday's members' services committee dealt with an upcoming Code of Conduct report. Councillors agreed that as much as they might like to, they can't force good manners on anyone. Nor can they tie the hands of their colleagues and prevent them from leaking confidential documents. In an effort to decrease the amount of paper they use, instead of circulating pink confidential documents, city staff were recommending looking into using a computer stick, which would be hand-delivered in a double envelope. Please! As College Coun. Rick Chiarelli so aptly pointed out, simply hand-delivering the material would not generate any real savings. Some councillors bristled that it appeared staff were trying to muzzle them, while freely circulating confidential documents among themselves. If councillors choose to leak confidential documents, there's no program that will be able to prevent them. "That's the elephant in the room and it won't be solved by this code of conduct," he said. JUNKETS DEBATED The meeting also touched upon the appropriateness of councillors accepting international junkets. "The public perception is that an all-expense paid trip is a benefit, though we as councillors might see it as business, that's not the perception, so this is something we should be looking at," Deans said. Committee members also formalized a policy about who can enter the exclusive Green Room, a tiny room just outside of council used by councillors and sometimes senior staff when they need to meet in private or simply want a small break. Staff said they're content to stick with what is now happening on an ad hoc basis. While guests may sometimes visit if invited by a councillor, any complaints will be dealt with by the city clerk. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart