The South Bayview Bulldog

It is a deeply disheartening example of a public official freeloading at your expense. The full accounting of just what Dan Brambilla, chief executive of the city-owned Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, got for being in that job is breathtaking. When he was married in 2010, the centre paid him $7,910 for use of the photos to market the venue as a wedding location. The National Post records what one councillor called it “an enormous laundry list of indiscretions” compiled by Mr. Brambilla.  The centre paid Mr. Brambilla as a consultant from 2002 to 2008, until the Canada Revenue Agency “determined that the CEO was an employee and not a consultant,” declassified papers from the city’s auditor show. Here are some more: The Sony Centre reimbursed: $2,500 Mr. Brambilla paid to attend the Mayoral Harmony Dinner in 2011, $600 for a fundraiser with Bob Rae in 2010, airfare and event tickets worth $1,250 for Nancy Brambilla, the CEO’s wife, on trips she took with him to Ottawa and Quebec City, $890 for a staff holiday lunch with seven employees, in which 38% of the pre-tax bill was for alcohol, tickets to four other fundraisers for Liberal politicians, totalling $1,550. The Post says Mr. Brambilla liked to dine in the Sony Centre cafeteria with his wife, the documents show. His employer regularly reimbursed him for 50% of the cost of those meals. Council has taken what councilors called “swift” action to stop this type of abuse although taxpayers may say “swift” is a bit if a fib as well.

JOHN TORY AT WORK

The Leaside Gardeners Twitter account is saying this evening that 165 Grade 3 children planted local community gardens this past week in Leaside. It is a charming and so worthwhile exercise for these kids. The program is part of the Leaside Garden Society’s Junior Gardeners program