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Inquiry hears details of Stockie‘s ‘social relationship‘ with RIM Park financier Perhaps the most controâ€" versial testimony so far was heard last week, when City of Waterloo Chief Administrative Officer Tom Stockie took the stand. Stockie described in depth the "social relationship" he had with David Robson, a forâ€" mer viceâ€"president of MFP Financial Services Ltd., the company at the heart of the financing scandal. Robson negotiated the nowâ€"infamous lease agreeâ€" ment with city officials, which resulted in Waterloo having to pay almost $33 million more than anticipated for RIM Park. Over the course of the negotiations and after the deal was signed, Stockie said, the business partnership e judicial inquiry into I the RIM Park financing has recessed for two weeks, but not before leaving those thirsting for details on the edge of their seats. Looking For a New or Preâ€"owned BMW The AIDS Committee of Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and Area organized Waterloo Region‘s AIDS Walk Weekend 2002. Events throughout the weekend included a gala dinner and dance at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel on Friday, a candelight vigil at Roos Island on Saturday, and the AIDS Walk (above) at Victoria Park on Sunday. besoran cranpau roro www.bâ€"kmotors.com By Anprea Baicey Chronicle Staff We V Walking to beat AIDS Activities included charity events, golf games and a Toronto Maple Leaf game. There were also occasions when Stockie and his comâ€" monâ€"law spouse hosted Robson at her home for dinâ€" ner and drinks; and took a ski trip to Ellicotville, NY. with Robson and his girlfriend. became a personal friendship, which included various social activities. But Stockie never disâ€" closed the extent of those activities until he released a memo to city council last Monday, the day before he took the stand. The memo included two pages of social events Stockie attended either with Robson, or at Robson‘s invitation prior to and after the signing of the financing agreement. One of the last social funcâ€" tions the two attended together was an "ultimate golf trip" to Florida in April 2001. The trip consisted of a flight to Florida, dinner, oneâ€" night accommodations in Stockie claimed his intent was to pay Robson when the two were to get together later that month. But because of the events that unfolded, the meeting never took place. Since the release of the memo, some city councillors have deemed the Stockieâ€" Robson friendship as inapâ€" propriate, and bordering on conflict of interest. But Stockie defended his Continued on page 4 Florida and two rounds of golf. Stockie testified he later sent a personal cheque to MFP Financial Services for $1,000, to cover what he estiâ€" mated to be the cost of the trip. But as Justice Ron Sills, commissioner of the inquiry, questioned, Stockie only mailed the cheque June 4, 2001 â€" the day the true financing figures were revealed. "It was obvious our friendâ€" ship would not continue," Stockie said. PAGE 3 CHRONICNH Woolstencroft‘s recommended motion was moved at a regular council meeting, but was not seconded, and died without debate. "Such an ethics policy will protect its citizens and create an important frameâ€" work for the operation of the city. Woolstencroft attempted to move toward a tougher conflict of interest poliâ€" cy last year, when news involving past members of council, city administrators and employees attending social events with employees of MFP Financial Services Ltd. before and after the RIM Park financâ€" ing agreement was signed, came to light. At that time, the city instructed legal counsel to draft such a policy. _ "I believe that there should also be a strong ethics policy that goes beyond mere conflict of interest, and should include open, communiâ€" cated and transparent accounting guidelines of all our finances, with accuâ€" rate and detailed reporting, available to every city citiâ€" zen and employee. "I firmly believe that such a policy will help the City of Waterâ€" loo regain the trust of the community as an effective, honest and open organizaâ€" tion." Council supported the recommendaâ€" tion, asking the clerk‘s department to have the terms of reference defined by early next year. Instead, council chose to revise the city‘s existing policy by adding provisions The city‘s leader called on Waterloo council Monday night to support a move to define the terms of reference for two ad hoc committees, one to create an ethics in municipal life policy and another to review the city‘s current conflictâ€"ofâ€"interâ€" est policy. "The City of Waterloo must create poliâ€" cies that promote the highest standards and principles of behaviour, for the beneâ€" fit of both our employees and the citiâ€" zens," she said. "Such an aspiration includes, but is not limited to, the most stringent c@niflict of interest policy in the province of‘Ontario. The City of Waterloo will have a stiffer conflictâ€"ofâ€"interest policy, if Mayor Lynne Woolstencroft has anything to say about it. Woolstencroft calls for stiffer conflictâ€" ofâ€"interest policy By Anorea Bamey Chronicle Staff Lynne Woolstencroft Mayor of Waterloo "Nevertheless, in my view there is a very important issue of public perception arising from these kinds of contacts that must be addressed. In matters of public governance, it is not only the existence of an actual conflict of interest which must be eliminated, but also any appearance of a conflict of interest. "We must continue to learn lessons from the mistakes, through adopting and implementing sound policy improveâ€" ments and changes." "It is not clear what role, if any, the occurrence of these social activities played in the making of the MFP financâ€" ing agreement...," she said. "We await the report of the commissioner to obtain the full story. "Although I was not mayor when the financing deal was signed, it is my responsibility as the current mayor to ensure that no such event happens again. that all employees shall not accept any gifts, entertainment, hospitality, fees, serâ€" vices, valuable privileges or favours from any person or business organization that has dealings with the city except as: it is infrequent; it is appropriate to the busiâ€" ness and responsibilities of the individual involved; it is consistent with generally accepted public sector practices; or it is a normal expression of courtesy, protocol or hospitality among persons doing busiâ€" ness. Some members of council, including Woolstencroft, felt the policy lacked teeth. And given the latest social events around the RIM Park financing agreeâ€" ment to be made public, the mayor believes now may be the time to beef up the guidelines. In her recommendation, however, Woolstencroft acknowledged no action should be taken until the e results of the judicial inquiry into the RIM Park financing have been heard. All of these events are presently being reviewed by the judicial inquiry, Woolstencroft said, and it is important not to preâ€" judge either the whole of the evidence that the Istencroft commissioner, Justice waterloo Ron Sills, will hear on these issues, or the recâ€" ommendations that he will ultimately make. But she also stressed, it‘s a matter that should not be kept on the back burner.