Toronto councillor asks telecom executives to help finance election campaign

A Toronto city councillor who's also a member of the municipality's telecommunications committee is being criticized by one of his colleagues for soliciting campaign donations from telecom companies that are lobbying the city for access to rights of way. Rob Davis is a nine-year veteran of local government who is running in the St. Paul's West ward. "Rob Davis has also done a remarkable job as a key player in the city's new Telecom Committee, vice-chair of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and a member of the works committee," a fundraising letter from consultant Paul Christie says. "I believe Rob will take on a greater role on the Telecom Committee in the next term with the announced retirement of the chairman councillor John Adams." The letter was emailed to telecom executives at SaskTel, Axxent Inc (the former Optel Communications Corp), AT&T Canada and Norigen Communications Inc, among others, as well as telecom consultants and attorneys at major law firms such as Gowlings, McMillan Binch, and Nelligan-Power. Decima Publishing's managing editor was among those on the recipient list. Christie say he's not worried about any look of impropriety over contacting companies that do business with the city or its various committees. "People have the freedom to pursue whatever giving they intend to do," he told Network Letter. "I'm certainly not twisting people's arms. If they elect to support Mr. Davis, that's certainly their prerogative." He says similar letters have gone out to those who deal with the TTC and the works committee. But the approach is questionable to another city councillor. Howard Moscoe sits with Davis on the city's telecom committee. He also chairs the telecom committee of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and like Davis, is up for re-election. "I don't mind Rob Davis phoning up people that do business with the city and seeking a contribution," Howard Moscoe says. "What I do mind is this sort of blanket solicitation of telecommunications companies implying that ‘if you support me, I'll do your bidding.'" Moscoe suggests that the letter is skirting close to the edge of impropriety, and has forwarded it to Joe Mihevc, another councillor who is challenging Davis in the new ward. He also scoffs at the description of his fellow telecom committee member as a key player on the board. "I'm amazed that Paul Christie, who knows his way around city hall, doesn't know that Rob Davis rarely attends meetings and when he does he only stays for a brief period of time. If that's the definition of remarkable, then that's what remarkable is." He adds that the retirement of Adams makes the necessity of a balanced committee even more pressing. The note invites the recipients to a cocktail party hosted on June 19 by Gayle Christie, former mayor of the Toronto suburb of York. A postscript to the missive reminds would-be donors the maximum permissible contribution is $750. Toronto has opted into the Election Expenses Act of Ontario. Contributions of $300 may be written off at a rate of 75 per cent, with all further donations subject to a 50 per cent write-off. Anyone donating the full $750 is granted $450 off property taxes or handed a cash rebate by the city. Concerns about close ties to politicians are not restricted to Canada. Recent filings in the U.S. Senate reveal that several senators hold stock in companies they deal with. New Jersey senator Robert Toricelli owns shares of Global Crossing, a telecom firm that would benefit from a bill he is sponsoring. Nearly a dozen senators hold Microsoft Corp shares, while others have invested in America Online Inc, Lucent Technologies Inc and Cisco Systems Inc. Davis has close ties to Ontario's Progressive Conservative government. In 1996, he placed third in a by-election to replace former New Democrat premier Bob Rae in the riding of York South.

Toronto councillor asks telecom executives to help finance election campaign

News | 06/19/2000 4:00 am EDT

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