CORRUPTION : THE NATURE OF THE BEAST

I've slowly come to realize that corruption is so much more than direct, illegal acts. It is more than merely intentionally breaking laws and commiting overt "corrupt" acts. It is much more than has been defined to date.

I've often in this Blog defined corruption as "being riddled with errors". That is actually one dictionary definition of it. Slowly and painfully having paid much more attention over the last five years or so I've come to the startling conclusion that corruption starts in the mind. It even starts in the minds of those who had never considered corrupt practices before. Corruption is a shortcut. It is both the dishonest person's tool but also the lazy person's tool. From a tool it can also transform into a weapon. It can be a method of silencing critics and dissent as well as political opponents.

Corruption becomes a state of mind for those in power or authority. They begin to believe that they are the "chosen" ones; that election results have proven their inherent superiority over their fellow man. What they often lose sight of between elections is how fleeting power is. Just ask Todd Cowan, Steven Harper, Richard Nixon and decades of politicians unceremoniously given the heave ho by the electorate.

This state of mind leads them and their accolytes to believe that the end justifys the means. If the mayor, premier or prime minister decide on a direction then opposition from either other politicians or ungrateful citizens must be deflected, distracted, sideswiped, crushed and or removed by any means possible. Perhaps these people in power directly or indirectly by serving the powerful, would never think of committing crimes of bank robbery, break and enter, assault etc.. In their minds however "bending" of rules is not only O.K. it's standard operating procedure. Where in criminal law does it say that you can't stack committees with your friends? Where does it say that you can't gild the lily in selling your position or direction to the public? What law expressly forbids politicians and their supporters from lying to the public?

What law is Woolwich Council and senior staff breaking when they knowingly permit members of MECAC with gross conflicts of interest in favour of mayor Shantz to sit on that committee again this Monday to make an important decision for or against a Forensic Audit? What law are they breaking when they allow a lawyer who takes direction from the mayor and her council to give an allegedly impartial legal opinion to MECAC telling them what issues they can and cannot discuss? What law are they breaking when they limit the Applicant, myself, to a mere ten minute Delegation with absolutely no opportunity to rebut or clarify testimony and Delegations from others?

What law did the mayor break when she ambushed me and allegedly MECAC ten minutes before the July2/15 MECAC meeting with 30 pages of new financial information? What law did she break when she submitted an "untrue" sworn statement to Superior Court last July 23/15. Ahhh! Now hears the rub. All the rest was likely mere unethical, immoral behaviour. At what exact point do those in authority after years of unethical, unfair and contemptible behaviour cross the legal line? Did the mayor cross it with her abuse of process at MECAC on July 2 or did she cross it when she submitted an untrue sworn statement to Superior Court? Or did she cross it when she submitted her initial sworn and now admitted false Financial Statement (Feb.2/15) to the Woolwich Clerk and let it stand past the March 27/15 deadline?

Corruption is insidious. It starts with self serving lying and grows from there. Obviously those in power are far more likely to become slaves to it.