[ShepherdsDog]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/ ... nipeg.html

$1:

A Manitoba judge ruled in favour of Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz Friday afternoon in a conflict-of-interest case brought forward by a citizen.

Justice Brenda Keyser ruled Katz was not in a conflict of interest when he hosted a 2010 Christmas party for city councillors at Hu's Asian Bistro. Katz owned the restaurant at the time and paid the $3,000 tab with taxpayers' money.

A city restaurateur, Joe Chan, filed the conflict complaint against Katz last year. Keyser also ruled Friday that Chan would have to pay $10,000 for Katz's legal costs

Cosmetically it was a bonehead move, but I can't help wondering if Katz ended up saving the city money in the end, by hosting the party at his restaurant. What would a similar establishment have charged for hosting the party? Things like this need to be taken into consideration. Perhaps all social functions for politicians and bureaucrats need to be paid for out of the pockets of politicians attending rather than from a slush fund.

[Xort]

Why are public dollars paying for a party?

[ShepherdsDog]

The money came from an expense fund set up for the Mayor's office, that covers things like that. It's the fact a business, owned by Katz was chosen, that is at issue. Had another restaurant, Chan's specifically, been chosen, we'd never of heard of this.