Scanned, recopied or Internet copy, if there are errors, please e-mail me with corrections: Opening comments: More at the end. Good details in this one about how the deals were done and fell apart. To the main Judicial Inquiry page - to the Hazel McCallion page. Mississauga News - July 27, 2010 - By Joe Chin - jchin@mississauga.net Mayor's son on the hot seat
The Mississauga judicial inquiry witnessed its first heated moments today when the City’s external solicitor Clifford Lax blasted Peter McCallion on cross-examination. Lax was particularly tough on Mayor Hazel McCallion’s son for his testimony that he wasn’t aware that he was a principal of World Class Developments (WCD), which was set up to purchase land from pension giant Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) to build a hotel/convention centre in Mississauga's downtown core. McCallion agreed he was mistaken. “Lo and behold you were wrong to have thought you were wrong,” Lax pointed out. Lax also took McCallion to task on his affidavit supporting his request for City funding to pay his legal fees. McCallion had sworn that he was essentially bankrupt. But Lax pressed McCallion to admit that, as a 16 per cent shareholder of WCD, he was entitled to receive all his investment back. McCallion reluctantly agreed. In addition, Lax suggested, he'd be owed 16 per cent of the $4 million OMERS paid in settlement money to WCD when the deal between the two parties collapsed. Earlier in his testimony, McCallion, when asked whether he received any settlement money, replied, “None.” The testy exchange, following what had been until then a relatively uneventful first appearance on the witness stand for McCallion, brought his lawyer, Brian Gover, to his feet. Gover objected that the funding part of the inquiry had already been ruled upon by Commission Justice Douglas Cunningham. Lax also got McCallion to acknowledge that his realtor’s license had been suspended on at least two occasions, the most recent in 2009. Cross-examined by Commission counsel William McDowell, McCallion said he stood to earn between $10-$12 million selling condominium units had his $1.5-billion venture been successful. McCallion also helped to unravel a complex web of agreements, meetings, negotiations and dinner parties dating back to 2007 – some of which his mother participated in – involving the failed bid. On his way to his car following testimony, McCallion brusquely answered “no comment” when questioned by the media. He'll resume his testimony tomorrow. Also taking the stand will be Michael Latimer, president & chief operating officer of Oxford Properties Group, the developing arm of OMERS, and Shalini Alleluia, City employee responsible for minutes at Council meetings. Comments by others - 5 - to this web-page at time of posting; ComeOn Jul 28, 2010 10:53 AM Mayor Hazel McCallion Disgraces Office Why is it that the Friends of Hazel are so quick to believe a person who has never denied anything not come clean about anything and has a mountain of evidence now pointing to her guilt? I keep asking this crowd why they believe she is above the law? There is no miracle coming to save her she cooked her own goose. * Agree 3 pacroust Jul 28, 2010 10:24 AM @ConcernedKissyFaceResident *smooch* Most people would have checked the link and seen that a) it's Michele Mandel, not Michel; b) the article is clearly posted as a COLUMN by a COLUMNIST; c) nowhere did I claim she was a feature writer or anything else; and d) Ted Wall-o-shame, who had so much to say about Hazel before, is missing in action. I wonder if he has a conflict of interest. Hugs and kisses, XXXOOOXX! (PS Do try to keep up, it would break my heart to lose you.) * Agree The Mississauga Muse Jul 27, 2010 11:28 PM @ pacroust, Think About It, Canadians, Uatu, ComeOn et al Superb article in Globe and Mail! Adrian Morrow, "McCallion's son says he didn’t realize he owned part of development firm. Insists his mother, the mayor, hadn’t read document" at: http://tinyurl.com/2bha28w * Agree ConcernedResident Jul 27, 2010 11:14 PM Some put mouth in gear before brain... ....then proceed to insert foot. Michel Mandel is a feature writer. Ted is a coloumnist. Most intelligent people know that. * Agree The Mississauga Muse Jul 27, 2010 10:59 PM @ pacroust, Just went over to your link, "McCallion's son testifies at inquiry" and found this comment! "Irrespective of the outcome of this inquiry, we will get Hazel McCallion relected. Mantis, July 27th 2010, 10:30pm" And I AGREE! Wallets vote. Developers RUN MYTHissauga. And bottomline?... The "Trust Quality Excellence" people can't run a successful city without rampant corruption, lies. And of course cover-up. (And threats) Fascinating to document though. pacroust Jul 27, 2010 9:53 PM Hee hee Looks like ole Ted Wall-o-shame has been tossed off the beat over at the Toronto Sun: http://tinyurl.com/287dq6k * Agree Tony Jackson Jul 27, 2010 7:13 PM He's bankrupt...........:) WCD was incorporated to facilitate this “deal”. Now, the deal is over. When WCD get dissolved, Peter will have 16% (his sweat equity in WCD) of its assets. Out of 4 MILLION, that is $640,000 (minus cost). * Agree The Mississauga Muse Jul 27, 2010 6:58 PM @ Canadians You wrote, "what da ya think? The Mayor's son wasn't aware that he was a principal of World Class Developments (WCD" He claimed he didn't read a document all the way down to the bottom that listed him as a principal. Tough to believe considering he'd sunk $150,000 into WCD and bills unpaid and he's not reading everything but-- then again, not reading seems to run in the family. What I can't believe is him being a commercial real estate agent and he doesn't KNOW what "principal" means! As for your comment, "Are the Hazelites hiding or jumping ship yet?" I keep telling you. None of this matters come election time. Doesn't matter the extent of corruption, it's WALLETS who put an "X" beside a name. Besides. Mississaugans have only one choice. Like that joke in the 50's about the Soviet Union being a democracy. You can vote for any communist you want! I'm moved to say this again. Man that Clifford Lax is some-kind-of-amazing! * Agree 1 Canadians Jul 27, 2010 6:20 PM Feistiest Ferret, Muse........... about time................. nothing Lax about this ferret. * Agree 1 Canadians Jul 27, 2010 6:18 PM Well, Muse.............. what da ya think? The Mayor's son wasn't aware that he was a principal of World Class Developments (WCD).............. I don't buy it myself. Where's the four million, if he didn't get it, oooorrrr is he just unaware of it? Is anyone still dumping this on the city staff? The smirk on his face (above) makes it hard to be objective here. More tomorrow. Are the Hazelites hiding or jumping ship yet? * Agree 1 The Mississauga Muse Jul 27, 2010 6:07 PM Clifford Lax is the feistiest ferret I've ever seen. On par with Ombudsman's SORT team And what blows me away is he's the lawyer for The Corporation of the City of Mississauga! Finestkind brilliant. * Agree 1 Home Page - Main Table of Contents - Back up a page - Back to Top [COMMENTS BY DON B. - ] |
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