By a unanimous vote  something that’s as rare in Mississauga as a crowded transit bus  council has agreed to pay the legal costs of both Mayor Hazel McCallion and her son Peter, each up to $100,000. That’s just one of the controversies rolling around as the judicial inquiry into the city’s acquisition of about 8.5 acres of land worth almost $15 million in a development deal that involved her son and led to questions about a potential conflict of interest for the mayor nears.

Council opening their wallets to the McCallion family  it’s groundbreaking for, Peter, a third party not related to the city, to be funded by taxpayers  has raised the ire of some Mississaugans. Peter McCallion still has to prove he does not have the financial wherewithal to pay the bills himself, a fact assumed by most.

Still, even Coun. Carolyn Parrish, the mayor’s prime adversary, was in favour. “I have no problem with that,” Parrish said in the Mississauga News. “She’s obviously not being accused of anything and I don’t think she’s the focus of the hearing.”

She actually said that without piercing the skin of her cheek with her tongue. The third party requesting financial assistance was OMERS, the mammoth municipal pension plan. Parrish wasn’t so warm and fuzzy with that concept. “OMERS, I wouldn’t give them one damn cent. They don’t fit the criteria,” she said. OMERS bid rejected The criteria being they can afford to take care of themselves. OMERS bid for funding was rejected.

What is disturbing the citizens is why taxpayers are covering the mayor and her son, when no one pays their legal costs?

Quite simply no one involved in this inquiry has been charged with any crime. It’s not a criminal trial, but rather a judicial investigation, and at the end of the inquiry there will be no guilty or not guilty verdict handed out; just some red faces and perhaps damaged reputations.

So couldn’t you make an argument that because it’s not a legal trial and because the inquiry comes at the behest of council, if you cover one person’s costs the same rules should apply for all who’ve been asked to participate?

Legal counsel for OMERS suggests the money spent on their defence in fact belongs to their members.

Coun. Katie Mahoney believes if the city paid, “It would be taxpayers’ money, and I represent the interests of the taxpayer.”

The wicked irony, or even conflict, as some suggest, is all of Mississauaga’s councillors have a share in the OMERS pension plan.

Billing overseen

Justice Douglas Cunningham, who will preside over the inquiry, has appointed a well respected and veteran solicitor to oversee the legal disbursements. Those will be regulated by specific criteria such as limiting legal counsel to attending hearings when their clients’ interests are engaged and not otherwise. In other words, no hanging around looking for extra billing time.

Their hourly rate will vary from $75 for articling students to $325 per hour for counsel with 20-plus years experience.

The lawyer charged with this task is William Woloshyn, whose name caused Coun. Parrish to ask, “Is he related to Ted Woloshyn?”

Just a little paranoid aren’t you Carolyn?

The answer is no, we are not related, and you’re being more than a little rude in suggesting it would matter to a man with an impeccable reputation in the legal community.

And by the way, the other day Joseph Estate Winery introduced the Hazel Heritage Wine which will support her Arts Foundation.

Funny, but when I think w(h)ine, I usually think of Carolyn.