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.