I think the Star buries the lede on their story by Robyn Doolittle about the Ford family business, Deco Labels & Tags, and its work for the city over the last decade. The company has done “$130,000 worth of work on 98 contracts” for various city departments since 2000. They bid on these contracts fairly and there seems to be no clear indication of any wrongdoing. This doesn’t seem particularly newsworthy.
What is interesting, though, is this bit towards the middle that details Mayor Ford’s itinerary, which still includes time blocked for meetings and work with Deco Labels:
For years Ford served as Deco’s chief financial officer. Today, his name does not appear on Deco’s federal business profile, although copies of Ford’s itinerary obtained by the Star through a freedom of information request show the mayor is still involved with the company.
On Jan. 20, Ford was scheduled to attend a “family business†meeting from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The following Monday, his itinerary said “Deco all day†from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., though the day also lists budget committee and property standards meetings.
via Mayor’s company raises conflict questions – thestar.com.
It’s kind of crazy that they had to file a freedom of information request to get a copy of the mayor’s schedule. Openness and accountability!
Also: should the mayor of Canada’s largest city really have time to devote to meetings regarding a family-owned for-profit business?
Tags: deco labels, oversight