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MAYOR JOE FONTANA’S LEGACY IS SEVERELY TARNISHED

A false sense of entitlement has led to the conviction of London’s Mayor Joe Fontana. Guilty, guilty, guilty was the banner headline in the paper on Saturday June 14.

He tried to scam the government and we the taxpayers out of $1,700 to help pay for his son’s wedding. Hell, with a cabinet minister's salary along with a comfortable expense account he earned over six figures. He sure was able to live a very comfortable life-style.

We have to ask ourselves why he would cast the dice in-order to hustle a few bucks. Simple answer: he thought that the doctored invoice would not draw the attention of the financial officer in charge of issuing federal government cheques.

As fate would have it a conscientious employee at the Marconi Club saw that the cheque payable to the club was a down payment for the Fontana wedding. Mr/Mrs Anonymous informed the press who sent along copies of the cancelled cheque and invoice to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Complements to the staff of the Marconi Club who took the time and risk to stand-up when they perceived wrong doing. Sure, the easy thing to do was to simply cash the government cheque and move on The sages teach us that for bad things to happen good people do nothing.

Friday June the 13th Justice was served with the Mayor convicted on all three counts with sentencing July 15th. For over three decades Joe was a public servant who had the public trust that in the end he betrayed. His legacy has been severely tarnished by his actions

There is a lesson/warning to public servants to act in a proper judicial manner to act in the best interest of Canadians. Joe decided to squander the faith bestowed upon him to scam the taxpayers.

Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar famous speech by Marc Anthony has a wise message for all. "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him; the evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones." Sad, that Joe’s legacy of many years of good works was thrown asunder for a few dollars.

In the best interest of his wife and family and the citizens of London it is time for him to apologize.

Sentencing is on July 15th. I do not think that Joe will have to do time in the Elgin Middlesex Detention Center for his crimes. Perhaps the court will have him perform Community Service to try and atone for his crimes.

It is time for Joe to learn how the other half of society lives: St Joseph’s Hospitality Centre East of Adelaide feeds hundreds of Londoners a day. I spoke to Bill Payne who is the Co-ordinator and he would welcome Joe’s help in the kitchen.

Len Lesser