Provincial Tory candidate David Shiner announced yesterday he is taking unpaid leave from his job as a city councillor until after the Oct. 10 election.Shiner, a veteran city councillor who represents Ward 24, Willowdale, had come under fire for keeping his $95,000-a-year city council post while at the same time seeking election as the Progressive Conservative candidate in Willowdale.Shiner told reporters the pay he's received since the election campaign began Sept. 10 will go to charity. His unpaid leave of absence began yesterday.
There is no rule on the issue, although the practice of Toronto councillors has been to take an unpaid leave if they run provincially or federally.Confusion erupted at council after Shiner rose to his feet during the morning session to announce simply that he will "be taking a leave for the balance of the election term."Some interpreted the announcement to mean he intended to take a leave with pay because he'd announced the day before that he intended to donate the pay he received during the campaign , which runs from Sept. 10 to Oct. 10.Later in the council meeting, Councillor Sandra Bussin, the council speaker, said Shiner wished her to inform council that "he is in fact taking an unpaid leave of absence. Secondly, Councillor Shiner has indicated that he is using a personal cellphone for the purposes of city and personal use and has done so since Sept. 1, 2007."
Councillor Adam Vaughan wants council to adopt a formal policy spelling out that a councillor must take a leave to run for another level of government. He said Shiner still stands to receive a tax benefit from donating the council salary he received during the campaign so far."The reality is that (donation) means he gets a tax receipt," Vaughan said. "So he's still receiving a private benefit while he's campaigning. The sense of entitlement this guy has is appalling.
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