Is Sam Katz auditioning for a new career as a comedian?
He's no Robin
Williams, but you've got to start somewhere.
When the news broke that
the province of Manitoba had asked the RCMP to review the trio of city audits
that uncovered massive favoritism in handing out construction contracts "and to
conduct any investigations it considers appropriate," Katz tapped his funny bone
to knock off some one-liners in the form of a "statement."
His best:
"The province has made their decision and chosen to exercise their right to
refer to the RCMP, and all of council would support their
decision, and I hope this brings closure."
Bwahaha. Now that's
funny.
It may be too subtle for many people, but it's in the true tradition of
understated British humour.
You see, Katz is saying just the opposite.
He and his council cabal voted AGAINST sending the audits to the provincial
justice department, a move made by councillors in the hope the province would
call in the Mounties.
The vote was razor-thin, 8-7 to approve the
motion. One councillor didn't vote -- Justin Swandel, Katz's sidekick, his
Ed McMahon to Sam's Johnny Carson, the guy who sits there and guffaws at his
master's lame jokes.
The council meeting ran late and Swandel left for an
appointment. If he stayed he would have cast the tying vote that would have
killed the motion to refer to the province.
Now that's funny, Sam Katz's
staunchest ally ensured the RCMP would be called in to investigate Sam Katz's
administration.
Katz isn't running for re-election because the humourless
electorate might not find the scandals that have cost taxpayers tens of millions
of dollars so funny. Instead, he's adopted the old adage: always leave 'em
laughing.
But the RCMP review might not be the "closure" the lameduck mayor
wants.
The police might just expand on the "prima facie" case built by the
audits and dig deeper into the cozy relationship between the mayor, his best
friend and the city's chief administrative officer, and his other friend and
investor and beneficiary of the best friend's largesse. Who knows, the Mounties
might just travel to Scottsdale, Arizona, to ask questions about the million
dollar house Sam Katz bought from sister of an executive of Shindico for $10 "and other
considerations."
But for a comedian it's all grist for the mill. Sam
Katz even has his punchline written and waiting:
"When it comes to ability, intelligence and integrity, this jury wouldn't even qualify to be in the same building, let alone the same room, as Phil Sheegl."
"When it comes to ability, intelligence and integrity, this jury wouldn't even qualify to be in the same building, let alone the same room, as Phil Sheegl."