Wednesday, May 12, 1999 Lastman lays low after making death threat
By PAULA ARAB -- The Canadian Press
TORONTO (CP) -- He's pulled a litany of stunts in his two decades in
politics, but it's not every
day the mayor of Canada's largest city threatens to kill
someone.
Toronto's irrepressible Mayor Mel Lastman was at the centre of a
controversy Wednesday over
his threat against television reporter Adam Vaughan.
"It's very disturbing to have one's life threatened," said Vaughan, who
was
pondering making an official complaint to police.
Councillors were quick to defend Lastman, saying he's been under a lot
of
stress since his wife was apprehended and arrested for allegedly stealing
a pair
of designer pants. She was not charged.
"It's personal and the mayor is under a terrible strain," said Coun. Michael
Walker, who said he's normally
no fan of the flamboyant Lastman but had professional
confidence in him despite his family problems.
"It's hard for a person," said Coun. Tom Jakobek. "You know you're
talking about people's families
here. He's very, very close to his wife, maybe other people aren't, but
he is.
"This is a very, very, very concerning issue to that family and they should
be
allowed to work it out for themselves."
Lastman avoided the media on Wednesday, the day the Toronto Star
reported his wife Marilyn
was apprehended on April 19 at a shopping mall.
The mayor issued a written apology a day earlier to Vaughan, a CBC
television reporter, after
publicly threatening to kill him if he didn't leave his
family alone.
Lastman apparently believed that Vaughan had been spreading the story of
his wife's arrest, while
Vaughan vehemently denied it.
"It's a good thing that the mayor was quick to apologize," said Bruce
Taylor, the CBC's regional
director of television for Ontario.
Taylor added the mayor had agreed to meet with the CBC soon to discuss
the relationship between
Lastman and the network.
Police aren't investigating the incident because no official complaint
has been
made, said Sgt. Lorna Kozmik.
But she added: "That is a very serious offence, uttering a death threat."
York Region police are looking into how the shoplifting report was leaked
to the media in the first
place.
Lastman's wife wasn't charged "due to her age as well as no outstanding
offences on her record,"
said the police report published Wednesday in the Star.
One observer said Lastman's outlandish persona allows him to get away
with a lot more than any
other politician.
If someone like former prime minister Brian Mulroney, for example, had
threatened to kill a reporter,
there might have been a much harsher response, said
Henry Jacek, a politics professor at McMaster University.
"Lastman has an image of someone who's bombastic and over-the-top most
of the time. The shock value
is reduced because you expect him to say outrageous
things."
He added that the fact the threat was made against a reporter also might
have minimized the outrage.
"Some sectors of the public might think that reporters might have to deal
with some abuse from politicians
from time to time, that it comes with the territory."
Walker, who's often clashed with Lastman on political issues, says
Lastman's outburst was forgivable.
"It's his style and I just think we should give him a chance," said Walker.
Jakobek agreed.
"I honestly do not believe this man is capable of physically injuring anybody.
I don't think there's any excuse for it but he's apologized for it and
we should let
it go. Everybody's allowed a mistake from time to time."
Mel Lastman under the spotlight
Snow: Called in the military troops to shovel Toronto out from a snow
storm earlier this year. "Why did this have to happen when I became
mayor?" he said.
Spice: Wrote a letter to Ginger Spice begging her not to leave the Spice
Girls.
Stunts: Once exchanged $2 bills for $1 bills to generate interest in his
bad
Boy appliance store.
Political history: According to the Guinness Book of Worlds Records, he
holds the world record for 10 straight terms as mayor of suburban North
York, a span lasting over 25 years.
Private business: Borrowed $2,000 to open an appliance store and
turned it into the multi-million-dollar Bad Boy chain.
Spiel: Fast-talk, flamboyance, moral outrage.
Commercials: Kitschy Bad Boy furniture commercials, in which he asks:
"Who's better than Bad Boy? Nooooooooobody!"
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Friday, May 14, 1999 Lastman: Leave us alone Offers apology again for incident
By ZEN RURYK, CITY HALL BUREAU
Mayor Mel Lastman called on the media yesterday to allow him
to deal with his family problems in private.
Lastman
also thanked the public for phone calls, faxes and letters
of support following his
controversial outburst to CBLT-TV reporter
Adam Vaughan and the revelation his wife had been arrested
for shoplifting.
Marilyn
Lastman was arrested -- but not charged -- for allegedly
stealing a pair of designer
pants last month from an Eaton's store in a Vaughan mall.
"I
hope you, the members of the media, will respect my family's
privacy at this time and
allow me to deal with my personal life," Lastman
told reporters.
He
made the comments at a City Hall press conference that was
called to unveil three new
task forces.
The
bizarre scandal broke Tuesday when Vaughan said Lastman
threatened to kill him while
the two were standing in a public part of
the City Hall council chamber.
Lastman
insisted the incident will not affect his ability to lead
council.
"I'm
getting along really well with the council," he said.
"Everybody
has come up to me and (been) very, very nice on council."
On
the day of the confrontation, Vaughan quoted Lastman as
saying, "I heard you've been
talking about my wife ... Leave my family
alone. If you don't f---ing leave them alone, I'll kill you."
The
mayor promptly issued Vaughan a written apology, saying his comments were
"inappropriate in tone and language."
Prior
to the incident, Lastman had accused Vaughan of providing
the satirical magazine, Frank,
with information.
Vaughan
denies the charge.
Frank
ran a story about a politician's spouse who was arrested
for shoplifting. The magazine
did not identify those involved.
Lastman
said yesterday he plans to meet with representatives of
the CBC early next month
to discuss what has happened.
He
added support from the public has made him feel "a heck of a
lot better."
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Friday, May 14, 1999 Board satisfied with handling of case
By JOE WARMINGTON, TORONTO SUN
A written report from York Police Chief Julian Fantino on the
arrest of Marilyn Lastman
will not be necessary, the region's police
services board chairman said yesterday.
"I
am satisfied that the police followed proper procedures," said
Margaret Black, the mayor
of King and a former criminal lawyer.
Earlier,
when details of Lastman's arrest and subsequent release
without charges were made
public, Black said she would ask Fantino
for a "full report" on the entire situation in the interest of
public fairness.
But
yesterday, after talking with Fantino, she said there is no
need.
"He
has given a verbal report and I am quite satisfied with it," she
said.
Fantino
has said he knew of a young constable's decision to not
lay the charge April 19 at
the Eaton's store in the Promenade mall almost
immediately after it occurred and agreed it was the right
call. A police officer, he
said, has to maintain the right to use discretion.
He
said it is "preposterous" to think preferential treatment was
given because Lastman is
married to Toronto's mayor.
Although
Black said she is no longer looking for a report, the
board still has the option
of asking for one should they deem it necessary.
Board
members will have that opportunity at the next meeting
April 26, at 2 p.m. at York
Region headquarters in Newmarket.
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Friday May 14, 1999
COLIN McCONNELL/TORONTO STAR
MEL CULPA: At a news conference yesterday, Mayor
Mel Lastman again apologizes
for threatening a reporter.
Leadership intact, Lastman says
Time `to move foward' after threat to reporter incident
By John Spears
Toronto Star GTA Bureau Chief
Mayor Mel Lastman says his ability to lead Toronto council
has not been damaged after
angrily threatening CBC reporter Adam
Vaughan in the council chamber.
In his first news conference since Tuesday's incident, Lastman
told reporters yesterday that city councillors have been very
supportive.
Asked whether the effectiveness of his leadership has been
impaired, he replied: ``No,
I don't think so.
``I'm getting along really well with the council. Everybody has
come up to me and been very,
very nice.''
Deputy Mayor Case Ootes offered the mayor his support. ``I've
not talked to one councillor
who has expressed a lack of
confidence.''
Lastman apologized to Vaughan after he threatened to kill the
reporter, and said he would
have him fired.
The mayor had blamed Vaughan for publication of an article in
Frank, a satirical magazine,
about his wife Marilyn.
Lastman has been under pressure since April 19, when Mrs.
Lastman was apprehended at
the Promenade Mall in Thornhill in
the theft of a $155 pair of slacks. She
was detained by York Region police but released without
being charged. A police incident
report said no charges were laid
because of her age and lack of criminal record.
Lastman read a brief statement concerning the incident with
Vaughan at the start of the
news conference.
``I want to thank the members of the public,'' Lastman said.
``They've been just fantastic. Their support has been just great.
The phone calls have been
unbelievable.
``I want to thank them for their calls, their letters, their faxes.
And I want to thank the members of council for their support. I
appreciate their kindness
and I thank them on behalf of my wife and
myself.
``I would once again like to apologize to Mr. Vaughan for my
remarks,'' the mayor added.
``I also apologize to the people of Toronto who may have been
offended by the incident.
But it's now time to move forward.
``I hope you, the members of the media, will respect my family's
privacy at this time and
allow me to deal with my personal life.''
Lastman leaves today for a two-week holiday with his wife.
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The story behind the blow-up story The incident was common knowledge in virtually every newsroom in the city for weeks. Senior editors decided to leave it alone, until Mel Lastman's eruption in City Hall brought it to the fore
Chris Eby National Post
The story that no one in the Toronto press would
report -- that Marilyn Lastman, the mayor's wife, was stopped by security
guards after allegedly
shoplifting a pair of stretch
pants from Eaton's
-- has now become the story that's
got everyone talking.
While the incident
was common knowledge
in virtually every
newsroom in the city for weeks,
there seemed to be consensus
among senior
editors that it be
left alone.
"We were aware
from a very early
stage about the incident,
but when weighing the public interest of the story, [we] felt it did not
justify the obvious pain it would cause Mr. Lastman's
wife," said Martin Newland, deputy editor of the National
Post.
But feelings changed
after Mel Lastman reportedly threatened Adam
Vaughn, a CBC television reporter, on the floor of the
council chamber Tuesday,
accusing him of slandering his wife by leaking
the story to a satirical magazine.
"Leave my family
alone. If you don't leave them alone, I'll kill you,"
Mr. Vaughn recalled the
mayor saying.
As a possible explanation
for Mr. Lastman's outburst, The Toronto Star reported yesterday that "the
mayor had been under personal strain
since his wife Marilyn was apprehended April 19 in a
Vaughan mall and arrested
over stealing a pair of $155 designer pants."
The Star published
an incident report obtained from the York Regional
Police that confirmed a woman, later identified as Mrs.
Lastman, was seen by a store
investigator entering into a change room
with two pairs of slacks. Later, she paid for one pair.
The woman then
left the store and was approached by Eaton's security
who found another pair of pants in a bag. She was told she was going to
be placed under arrest and was advised of her rights,
the report said.
"Mrs. Lastman
was apologetic and concerned that her husband was not
made aware of the incident. She is presently on the prescription
drug paxel [sic], which is
an anti-depressant drug, but does not blame
the drug for her actions," the report, as reprinted in the Star,
said.
She was released
after store officials decided not to press charges, according
to the report.
Statistics show that
police often release people arrested for theft of
small items without charging them. The
Star was the only one out of the four major dailies in the city
that opted to run the story;
other papers, including the Post, did run items
about Mr. Lastman's blow-up with Mr. Vaughn.
"The background to this
incident had been bubbling around for some
time, and when it blew over in a public place, in front of the
public, it became a different
issue," said Jim Travers, the Star's executive
managing editor.
"The incident involving
Mrs. Lastman was secondary, but it was
significant to understanding why the blow-up occurred."
The Post's Mr. Newland
was adamant about his decision.
"The principle remained," he said. "There was no licence to delve
into personal matters such
as this."
Peter Brewster, associate
managing editor of the Toronto Sun, said that his newspaper had nothing
solid to go on, and, as far as he was concerned,
there was no decision necessary as to whether to run
the story.
"We don't deal in rumours.
As far as we are concerned it is a non-issue."
He said the only incidents
worth reporting were the threats made by the
mayor to the CBC reporter.
Senior editors at The
Globe and Mail were not available for comment.
Julian Fantino,
York Region's chief of police, said that he was
"extremely disappointed" that the incident report was published.
And he announced yesterday that he had launched an internal
investigation into how the
Star obtained the document.
It is generally known
by reporters that cover the City Hall beat that Mr.
Lastman blamed Mr. Vaughn for a piece that appeared in
Frank magazine, an Ottawa-based
gossip publication, which made an
oblique reference to the incident involving Mrs. Lastman.
However, the magazine never named her in the story.
"The mayor made a reference to Frank magazine in a scrum last
week and looked at me," Mr.
Vaughn said. "But I went to his office right away as I wanted to assure
him that even though I knew about the
story, I would not be covering it as a professional journalist."
Mr. Vaughn refused to
speculate on why the mayor, by his account, blew
up at him, but described their relationship as "stormy."
Mr. Lastman issued an
apology to Mr. Vaughn shortly after the heated
exchange occurred and he expressed a desire to sit down
with the reporter and discuss
what he called "the difficulties we've had
in our working relationship during the last approximate two
years."
Bruce Taylor, the CBC's
director of television for Ontario, has also asked
for a private meeting with Mr. Lastman to discuss the "ongoing relationship
between [the mayor] and the CBC Evening News."
Questions
continue to swirl about the ethics of publishing the details of the incident
involving Mrs. Lastman, however "I don't think it's the
ethical thing to do," said Mr. Vaughn.
"Members of politicians' families should not be held up to that kind
of scrutiny."
But Don Wanagas, the
National Post's City Hall bureau chief, took a different view, saying the
mayor has only himself to blame for theunwanted attention.
"Unfortunately for the mayor, he's the one whose focused the media spotlight
on the matter by threatening a television reporter who he believed leaked
details of the incident to Frank magazine," he said.
"You don't go around
threatening to kill people on the floor of city council or anywhere else
for that matter."
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Councillors stand by Lastman after threat
By Bruce DeMara and Phinjo Gombu Toronto
Star Staff Reporters
Toronto city councillors rallied around Mayor Mel Lastman a
day after he threatened a TV reporter in council chambers.
But the mayor was uncharacteristically silent yesterday.
Lastman - who is normally accessible for scrums, especially on
days when city council meets - dodged the media throughout
the day, refusing to offer comment on the incident involving
CBC reporter Adam Vaughan on Tuesday.
Fellow politicians stood by the mayor, saying his outburst
against Vaughan - who the mayor accused of provided details
about a shoplifting incident involving his wife Marilyn - was
understandable.
Yesterday, York Region police Chief Julian Fantino ordered an
immediate investigation into what he called the unauthorized
release of an incident report detailing Marilyn Lastman's arrest
April 19.
Details of her arrest in the theft of a $155 pair of pants from a
Vaughan Eaton's store were published by The Star yesterday.
Marilyn Lastman was not charged ``due to her age as well as no
outstanding offences on her record,'' the police incident report
said.
While Eaton's has a ``zero-tolerance policy on any type of
criminal activity,'' each case is handled on its own merits,
vice-president of public relations Sigi Brough told The Star.
Mayor Lastman angrily threatened Vaughan during the council
meeting, blaming him for a brief item on the shoplifting incident
- which didn't name Lastman or his wife - in Frank, an
Ottawa-based satirical magazine.
Lastman later apologized for the outburst, during which he
threatened to kill Vaughan or have him fired.
``There's no excuse for it (threat) but I think he's apologized. I
think we should leave him alone,'' Councillor Tom Jakobek (East
Toronto) said.
The curtains on the windows of the mayor's office facing
Nathan Phillips Square were closed throughout the day, an
unusual occurrence.
At one point, as a group of reporters gathered outside his
office, Lastman left by a side door to avoid them.
Jakobek blamed Lastman's desire to protect his family for the
outburst.
``You're talking about people's families here and he (Lastman) is
very, very close to his wife. Maybe other people aren't, but he
is,'' Jakobek said.
Councillor Doug Holyday (Markland Centennial) called the
issue a personal matter.
``Unfortunately, he (Lastman) has family problems and he'll deal
with that himself,'' Holyday said.
Councillor Brian Ashton (Scarborough Bluffs) also downplayed
the seriousness of the threat.
``It's no more of a threat than what schoolyard kids might do, or
you might say when you stub your toe in the workroom,''
Ashton said.
``It becomes a criminal offence if you really, truly believe the
person who said it . . . is prepared to carry through with it. 5
``That's just not what it is. It was a loss of temper.''
Bruce Taylor, the CBC's regional director of television, thanked
Lastman in a letter for offering a quick apology to Vaughan.
Taylor requested a meeting to discuss the ``ongoing
relationship'' between CBC and Lastman.
Taylor also offered to let the broadcaster's ombudsman deal
with any complaints.
Lastman is not expected to meet with the CBC immediately.
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Thursday, May 13, 1999 Toronto Sun Police board seeks 'full report'
By JOE WARMINGTON, TORONTO SUN
York Police Chief Julian Fantino said he knew of Marilyn
Lastman's arrest the day
it happened and supported a police constable's
decision to not charge her.
"I
am satisfied the matter was handled properly by us," he told
The Toronto Sun last night.
Police
board chairman Margaret Black said yesterday that she
will ask Fantino for a report
on the incident.
"We
are trustees of the public," said the King mayor. "I will be
asking for a full report
on this -- all aspects of it ... On how the decision
to not lay charges (was made) and who made it."
But,
she said, the board has not made any early conclusion and
only wants the facts.
"We
need to have some answers," said the former criminal
lawyer. "I want to be careful
that we are being fair to everyone.
... We do need to understand
what happened here."
Fantino,
who arrived home late from a meeting of chiefs in Sudbury,
has launched an internal investigation to determine how
the police report was leaked.
He said he will deal with and respond
to any requests the board makes of him.
But,
he said, this is not a situation that needs much scrutiny. "It's
ridiculous for people to
read anything into this," he said, adding it's
"preposterous" that special treatment was given.
The
officer made the decision based on "things known to him at
that time and I accept that.
"The
incident occurred April 19 when the 64-year-old wife of Toronto Mayor Mel
Lastman was arrested for alleged shoplifting in
the Eaton's store at the Promenade Mall.
Rookie
Const. Dave Wales wrote in his report that "store representatives
decided that due to her age as well as the lack of outstanding
offences on her record, they did not wish to proceed
with
charges."
Store
management said such decisions with "no exceptions" are never made by anybody
but police, who ultimately decide how to proceed.
"We read them their rights and call police," said loss-prevention
manager Will Rinna. "Police
take over the investigation."
Fantino agreed, saying this decision was and is a type of police
decision made every day.
Fantino
said he was made aware of the incident and an officer's
decision to not lay a charge
soon after it happened.
After
being filled in, he said, he immediately backed him and will do so in future.
"I
am backing the right of a police officer to use discretion," he
said. "Decisions are made
based on all the issues...This case is closed
for me."
Fantino
called the incident a "routine event in every aspect" that
doesn't deserve to be turned
into a "political football.
"You take the name out of it and it's no big deal," he said.
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Thursday, May 13, 1999 Toronto Sun
Cops probing leak - Lastman silent on issue of wife's arrest
By ZEN RURYK, CITY HALL BUREAU
Mayor Mel Lastman dodged reporters yesterday as York
Regional Police ordered an
investigation into the unauthorized release
of a shoplifting report involving his wife.
The
usually publicity-hungry mayor refused interview requests
following the revelation
his wife, Marilyn, was arrested for allegedly
stealing a pair of designer pants last month from an
Eaton's
store at a Vaughan shopping mall.
York Regional Police Sgt. John Sheldon said his force will
investigate how a report
containing details of the incident was released
to the media.
Marilyn Lastman, 64, was not charged in connection with the
matter.
"We release information with regards to charged persons, not
non-charged persons," Sheldon
said.
A
spokesman for the mayor said Lastman was too busy with city
council business to comment.
The issue came to a head on Tuesday when Lastman confronted
CBLT-TV reporter Adam Vaughan
in a public section of Toronto's
city hall council chamber.
Lastman
later issued Vaughan a written apology, saying his comments
were "inappropriate in tone and language."
Vaughan said Lastman accused him of talking about his wife.
"Leave
my family alone. If you don't f---ing leave them alone, I'll
kill you," Vaughan quoted
Lastman as allegedly saying.
Lastman recently accused Vaughan of providing information to
the satirical magazine Frank.
Frank
had published a story about a politician's spouse who was
arrested for shoplifting.
The article did not identify those involved.
"The
only connection to Frank magazine is they requested information
from me and I told them as far as I was concerned politicians'
families are off limits," Vaughan said yesterday. He
refused to specify what information
Frank wanted.
Lastman's
office released copies of a letter -- bearing yesterday's
date -- from CBC regional
TV director Bruce Taylor, which said the
network appreciated how the mayor quickly apologized to
Vaughan.
It
invited Lastman to meet with senior CBC representatives to
discuss "the ongoing relationship
between you and the CBC Evening
News."
Some
Toronto politicians, meanwhile, rallied 'round the mayor.
Councillor
Tom Jakobek said Lastman is sincerely sorry for the comments he uttered
to Vaughan.
"I
really have to tell you that I think the people of Toronto should
leave it and allow the man
to carry on his duties," he said.
Councillor
Doug Holyday said it's up to the public to pass judgment
on the mayor's actions.
"I
don't know if I'd like to use the word sympathy, but you
certainly always have a feeling
for someone who, perhaps, has a problem
in their family that is difficult."
And
Councillor Brian Ashton said that when it comes to his
family, Lastman is "protective
and instinctive."
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Thursday, May 13, 1999 -
Public pain now public shame
By MICHELE MANDEL, TORONTO SUN - Oh, Mel, Mel, Mel.
The
little mayor that could had been doing so well lately, winning
over even those who worried
he was more bombast than action, as
he tirelessly championed this city with his trademark
motormouth.
But inevitably, that infamous mouth has landed him into a storm of
controversy.
Mayors, even outrageous and endearing ones, simply can't go
around threatening to kill
people.
Yesterday, looking somber and strained, Lastman attended a city
council meeting and refused to talk about his outburst against
CBLT-TV reporter Adam Vaughan.
Instead,
he seemed a beaten man who hadn't lost the sad irony
that in threatening a reporter
to keep quiet Tuesday, he had unwittingly
opened the Pandora's Shoplifting Box himself, exposing
his wife to the very publicity and shame he was nobly
trying to prevent in the
first place.
For weeks, some media had sat on the story, but thanks to Lastman's outburst,
every media outlet is now running with the news
that his wife had been picked up for shoplifting and that the
mayor believed Vaughan was
the one leaking the story.
According
to Vaughan, the mayor stormed up to him in the council
chamber Tuesday and said, "I've heard you've been talking
about my wife. Stop talking about my wife. Leave my
family
alone. If you don't f---ing leave them alone, I'll kill you."
Lastman was referring to a bizarre episode last month in which
his wife Marilyn, was arrested
for allegedly shoplifting a pair of pants
from Eaton's at the Promenade mall.
The
glitter girl famous for wearing expensive couture dresses was
stopped by a security guard
with a pair of Jones of New York pants
in an Eaton's bag. The police report notes that Lastman
was on a prescription anti-depressant
drug and was apologetic and
concerned about her husband being told. It goes on to say that noting her
age (64) and "no outstanding offences," the store decided
not to press charges.
It
is all very sad and, I think, very private. Did Lastman's name
get her off? Perhaps, but
then again, statistics for York Region show
that more than a third of shoplifting cases investigated by
police are handled without
laying charges.
So
this was a personal problem the fiercely protective Lastman
wanted to keep private. You
can understand that he wanted to shield
his wife from the humiliation of publicity. You can
empathize
with his rage when he believed a reporter had leaked
the story to Frank magazine.
You
can even imagine the personal strain he's been under. But no
matter how upset or angry,
no one, least of all the mayor of Toronto,
can go around uttering death threats.
Now
given Lastman's reputation for over-the-top hyperbole, I
don't think Vaughan needed
to buy a bullet-proof vest any time soon.
What was more worrisome, I believe, was the mayor's
threat
to call whomever necessary at the CBC to get Vaughan
fired.
That
is chilling. Lastman is a powerful man. He can't threaten to
wield that power against
his citizens when they do something His Worship
doesn't like.
Now
these two have clashed before: Lastman has been angry
with Vaughan ever since the
TV reporter nearly cost him the megamayor's
job. In an interview Lastman insisted was taken out of
context, Vaughan quoted the then-mayoralty candidate saying
there was no homeless problem
in North York. While Lastman was
making his remarks, police were trying to identify the body
of a homeless woman found
dead in a North York gas station.
Lastman
spent the rest of the campaign fighting an unfair image of
insensitivity and callousness.
So
the mayor doesn't like a reporter -- hardly a first in politics,
but leaders cannot go about
threatening their detractors. After all his
years in public life, Lastman should know that. But even his
limp apology soon after the
incident reveals a stunning lack of insight
into what he has done.
"It
was improper to have a private conversation with you in a
public place," the mayor
wrote. "It was also a conversation inappropriate
in tone and language.
"If
you have been offended by our conversation then I am sorry
for my words ..."
"If
you have been offended." That's hardly the language of
someone who truly regrets
his behaviour.
Lastman,
I believe, owes the reporter a more sincere mea culpa.
But
he must also do more. The mayor owes the people of Toronto
a public apology for what can only be viewed as inappropriate
and intimidating behaviour.
The
city, I think, would quickly forgive him.
It's
this uncharacteristic silence they can't understand.
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May 13 - Toronto
Sun Editorial
Mega Mouth
Until
now we were pretty sure Mayor Mel Lastman would seek a second term as megamayor.
Based
on his performance at City Hall on Tuesday, he may want to reflect on whether
he should.
It's irrelevant
what real or imagined grievances brought on this latest erratic episode.
Remember Lastman's
recent trip to a Toronto emergency ward which turned out to be not quite
the frightening experience
he had initially made it out to be? Perhaps those exaggerations were just
another example of
"Mel being Mel."
But
this time, no excuse justifies the mayor's reported threat to kill or have
fired a City Hall reporter
- the CBC's Adam Vaughan.
Vaughan, son of
CITY-TV's Colin Vaughan, broke the story in the last election of Lastman's
infamous claim that there
were no homeless people in North York, even as a homeless woman was
found dead in the city of
which he had been mayor for 25 years.
There's no love
lost between the two but that's no excuse for Lastman's bizarre conduct
in the
council chamber, witnessed
by others, in which he confronted Vaughan. According to Vaughan,
Lastman said:
"I've heard you've been talking about my wife.
Stop talking about my wife. Leave my
family alone. If you don't
f... leave them alone, I'll kill you." He
then threatened to have Vaughan fired.
Lastman apparently
believed - wrongly says Vaughan - that Vaughan was the source of a story
that first
appeared in Frank which reported, without mentioning her name, that Lastman's
wife, Marilyn, had been arrested, allegedly for shoplifting a pair of pants.
Several media,
including the Sun, knew about parts of this story, including the fact no
charge was laid.
A police report said the store didn't want to prosecute due to Marilyn
Lastman's age and lack of
any outstanding offences. It noted she was on anti-depressants, although
she didn't use the drug as an
excuse. Until the Star, which obtained a copy of this report, published
it yesterday to explain the context
of Lastman's warning to Vaughan to stop talking about his wife, no media
outlet except Frank
had reported any of this.
We
sympathize with the mayor's desire to protect his wife, but even so, he
still seems unaware of his
enormous error, apologizing
as he did to Vaughan for "inappropriate" tone and language and for
having a "private conversation
with you in a public place."
In
fact, what Lastman did was wrong in public or in private. If he can't see
why, he might want to reassess
his future in public life.
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Thursday, May 13, 1999 Edmonton Sun
T.O. mayor quiet on cop report about wife
By ZEN RURYK, SUN MEDIA
TORONTO
-- Mayor Mel Lastman dodged reporters yesterday
as cops ordered an investigation into the unauthorized
release of a shoplifting
report involving his wife.
The
usually publicity-hungry mayor refused interview requests
following the revelation
that his wife, Marilyn, was arrested for allegedly
stealing a pair of designer pants last month from an
Eaton's store.
York
Regional Police Sgt. John Sheldon said his force will
investigate how a report
containing details of the incident was released
to the media.
According
to the police report, Marilyn Lastman, 64, was not charged
in connection with the matter "due to her age as well as
no outstanding offences on
her record."
"We
release information with regard to charged persons - not
non-charged persons," said
Sheldon.
A spokesman for the mayor
said he was too busy with council
business to talks to reporters.
The
issue came to a head on Tuesday when Lastman confronted
local CBC-TV reporter Adam
Vaughan in a public section of Toronto's
City Hall.
Lastman
later issued Vaughan a written apology, saying his comments
were "inappropriate in tone and language."
Vaughan said Lastman accused him of talking about his wife.
"Leave
my family alone. If you don't f---ing leave them alone, I'll
kill you," Vaughan quoted
Lastman as allegedly saying.
Lastman
recently accused Vaughan of providing information to
the satirical magazine, Frank.
The magazine has published a story about
a politician's spouse who was arrested for shoplifting. The article did
not identify those involved.
"The
only connection to Frank magazine is they requested information
from me and I told them as far as I was concerned, politicians' families
are off limits," Vaughan said yesterday.
Lastman's
office released copies of a letter from CBC regional
television director Bruce
Taylor which said the network appreciated
how quickly the mayor apologized to Vaughan.
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Thursday, May 13, 1999 Calgary Sun
Mayor hunkers down - Lastman won't comment on wife or death threat
By ZEN RURYK, SUN MEDIA
TORONTO
-- Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman dodged reporters
yesterday as police ordered an investigation into the unauthorized release
of a shoplifting report involving his wife.
The
mayor refused interview requests following the revelation his
wife, Marilyn, was arrested
for allegedly stealing a pair of designer
pants last month from an Eaton's store.
York
Regional police Sgt. John Sheldon said his force will
investigate how a report
on the incident was released to the media.
She
was not charged.
"We
release information with regards to charged persons -- not
non-charged persons," said
Sheldon.
A spokesman for the mayor said Lastman was too busy with city
council business to comment
to reporters.
The issue came to a head
on Tuesday when Lastman confronted TV
reporter Adam Vaughan in a public section of the council
chamber.
Lastman
later issued Vaughan a written apology, saying his comments
were "inappropriate in tone and language."
Vaughan
said Lastman accused him of talking about his wife.
"Leave
my family alone. If you don't (expletive) leave them alone,
I'll kill you," he quoted
Lastman as allegedly saying.
Lastman
recently accused Vaughan of providing information to
the satirical magazine, Frank.
Frank has published a story about a politician's spouse who was
arrested for shoplifting.
The article did not identify any of those involved.
"The
only connection to Frank magazine is they requested information
from me and I told them as far as I was concerned, politicians'
families are off-limits," Vaughan said, refusing to
specify
what information the magazine wanted.
Some
Toronto politicians, meanwhile, rallied in support of the
mayor.
Councillor
Tom Jakobek said that Lastman is sincerely sorry for
the comments he uttered to
Vaughan.
"I
really have to tell you that I think the people of Toronto should
leave it and allow the man
to carry on his duties."