AmandaStratton<amandastratton.com@gmail.

com>

Brown/Cassidy
AmandaStratton<amanda@hackerstudios.com>
To:GregStewart<gstewart@dmlaw.ca>

Fri,Jun24,2016at11:56AM

Thankyou,Mr.Stewart.
Ihavehadachancetoreadyourfullreport,andamawareofCouncil'sdecisiontoreprimandbothMayorBrownand
CouncillorCassidy.Ido,however,haveacontinuingconcern.
AlthoughyoumentionedacomplaintregardingCouncillorCassidy'snominationtotheFCMBoard,youdidn'taddress
yourfindingsregardingthatvoteinyourreport.LikemostLondoners,Iamlessconcernedwithdetailsofapersonal
relationship,andfarmoreconcernedwiththeimpactthatrelationshiphadontheethicaldischargeofeachoftheparties'
professionalduties.Inlightofthat,Iwasdisappointedtoseethattheissueofaconflictofinterestwasnotadequately
addressed,andsubmittoyouthefollowingfurthercomplaintregardingtheconductofMayorMattBrowninthefollowing
instances:
1.November9,2015:MayorMattBrownparticipatedinadebateandrankedballotvoteinwhichCouncillorCassidy
andCouncillorParkwerebeingconsideredforthepositionofDeputyMayor.
2.April18,2016:MayorMattBrownparticipatedinadebateandrankedballotvoteinwhichCouncillorCassidyand
CouncillorUsherwerebeingconsideredfornominationtotheFCMboard.Healsoparticipatedinasubsequent
voteonamotiontoallowCouncillorCassidyabudgetallotmentofupto$500incampaignexpensesand
expensestoattendFCMmeetings.
3.Inthefourthquarterof2015,CouncillorCassidyattendedtwolocaleventsandtheFCMconferenceonbehalfof
themayor,accessingatotalof$630.28fortickets,travel,accommodations,andperdiemsfromthemayor's
expenseaccount.Forcomparison,duringthesameperiod,oneothercouncillorattendedoneeventonbehalfof
themayor,benefitingfromatotalof$13fromthemayor'sexpenseaccount.Inadditiontofinancialbenefits,
attendanceatsucheventsprovidessignificantprofessionalopportunitiesandadvantageswhichareofgreat
benefittotheappointeddelegate.
4.Inthefirstquarterof2016,CouncillorCassidyattendedtwooutoftownconferencesonbehalfofthemayor,
accessingatotalof$2268.94fortickets,travel,accommodations,andperdiemsfromthemayor'sexpense
account.Forcomparison,duringthesameperiod,noothercouncillorincludingtheotherDeputyMayorattended
anyeventsonbehalfofthemayor,orbenefittedfromanyfundsfromthemayor'sexpenseaccount.Itshouldalso
benotedthatalthoughCouncillorCassidyislistedasattendingtheFCMReducingPovertyconferenceonbehalfof
themayor,themayoralsoattendedthatconference.Inadditiontofinancialbenefits,attendanceatsuchevents
providessignificantprofessionalopportunitiesandadvantageswhichareofgreatbenefittotheappointeddelegate.
Ifeelthatthesespecificinstanceswhereaconflictofinterestmayhavegoneundeclaredduringvoting,aswellasin
makingdecisionsatthemayor'sdiscretion,aremateriallydifferentfromthecontraventionsyoufoundinyourreport.While
Section5.1and5.2pertaintothecreationofsituationswhereinamemberinvitesthepotentialforconflict,Ifeelthatin
theseinstancesthemayoractedincontraventionofSection2.2,whichistosaythathemovedbeyondhavingcreatedthe
potentialforconflicttoinfactactingwithanundeclaredconflictofinterest.
Acknowledgingthatspecifictimelinesoftheirrelationshiparenotknowntothepublic,fromwhatisknown,Ifeelitislikely
thatthepersonalrelationshipthatexistedbetweentheMayorandCouncillorCassidywarrantedadeclarationofaconflict
ofinterestandrecusalfromoneorbothofthevoteslisted,butnonewasmade.
Additionally,whileIdonotquestionCouncillorCassidy'squalificationfortherolesheplayedonbehalfofMayorBrown,I
contendthatsinceitwasinhissolediscretiontomakesuchappointments,hisconflictofinterestinthosematters
warrantedherdisqualificationfromconsideration.
Therefore,IamsubmittingnowacomplaintbasedontheinformationabovethatIbelievethatMayorMattBrownhas
actedincontraventionofSection2.2oftheCodeofConduct,whichreadsasfollows:

2.2Membersshouldbecommittedtoperformingtheirfunctionswithintegrityandtoavoidingtheimproperuseofthe
influenceoftheiroffice,andconflictsofinterest,includingapparentconflictsofinterest.
Lastly,IalsonotethatIhavenotconductedanysearchforotherpossibleinstancesofcontraventionbeyondthosethatI
couldeasilyrecall,andthatIfeelamorethoroughreviewandinquiryislikelyappropriatetodeterminetheextenttowhich
MayorMattBrownallowedaconflictofinteresttogoundeclaredinperformingthefunctionsofhisoffice.
Havingneverfiledacomplaintofthiskindbefore,Iamunfamiliarwithhowtheprocessworks,butifpossible,I'dliketobe
madeawareofwhetheryouplantoseparatelyaddresstheissuesoutlinedabove.AsI'msureyouknow,othermeansof
addressingthemaretimesensitive,sowhileIunderstandafullreporttakestime,Iwouldgreatlyappreciateitifyoucould
letmeknowatyourearliestconveniencewhetheraninvestigationorreportshouldbeexpected.
Thankyou,
AmandaStratton

AmandaStratton
Founder&ManagingPartner
phone/text:2262377375
HackerStudios
hackerstudios.com

[Quotedtexthidden]

AmandaStratton<amandastratton.com@gmail.com>

Concerns
AmandaStratton<amanda@hackerstudios.com>
To:MattBrown<mattbrown@london.ca>

Tue,Aug2,2016at3:27PM

HiMatt,
I'mwritingtoyoubecauseIstillthinkthatmostofthetime,talkingtosomeoneisthebestwaytoresolveasituation.I
wanttobeopenandtellyouthataftertheIntegrityCommissioner'sreportwasreleased,Ifiledafurthercomplaintwith
himbecauseIdidn'tfeelhehadadequatelyaddressedtheissueofaconflictofinterestarisingfromyourpersonal
relationshipwithCouncillorCassidy.Havingnowreceivedaresponsefromhim,Istilldon'tfeelthattheparticular
instancesthatconcernmehavebeendirectlyaddressed.Ihaveattachedhereacopyofbothmycomplaintandthe
IntegrityCommissioner'sresponsepartlybecauseitwaseasierthanrewritingit,butalsobecauseIdon'tmindbeing
openwithyouaboutit.
SomebodyaskedmetheotherdaywhyIstillcareaboutthis,andtheanswerwassimple:ifyoudon'tthinktherewas
anythingwrongwithparticipatinginthevotesormakingthedecisionsaboutwhichIfiledacomplaint,Idon'tthinkIcan
trustyouasourmayor.Ithinkaveryclearlinewascrossedwhereaconflictofinterestwasleftundeclared,andthatyou
participatedinvotesandmadedecisionsthatyoushouldn'thave.Iknowthatinresponsetoaquestionfromthemedia,
yousaidthatyourprofessionalconductwasneverimpactedbyyourpersonalmistake.Thatdisappointsmegreatly.I
couldempathizewithandunderstandthedecisiontoactasyoudidatthetime,butIdon'tthinkIcanputmytrustor
supportbehindyouif,eveninhindsight,youseenoerrorinthoseactions.
SoIwantedtoreachouttoyouandaskwhetherthereisperhapsmorenuancetoyourthoughtsonthisthanwere
expressedduringabriefmediaconference.Orwhetherwithfurtherreflectionyouhaveanymoretoadd.Thequestion,in
short,isthis:Doyoufeelitwasethicalforyoutohaveparticipatedinthevotesormadethedecisionsoutlinedinmy
complaint?Idon'tthinktheanswertothatreflectsinanywaythequalificationsofCouncillorCassidyorwhetherultimately
agooddecisionwasmadeIaskonlywhetheryoufeelcomfortablethatyouactedwithintheboundariesofthecodeof
conductwhenmakingthosedecisions.
Thankyoufortakingthetimetoread.IhopethiswillbereceivedwiththesameopennessIfeelinsendingit,andthatyou
willknowthatI(like,Ihope,mostLondoners)continuetowishyouwell.Ihopetohearback.
Thanks,
Amanda

2attachments
ComplainttoIC.pdf
142K
Stratton07182016125427.pdf
577K