Bortolin’s ‘rape’ comment probe is nasty politics

Most people don’t realize how nasty municipal politics can be. Now they know. In the last four months, city council has voted to spend $1.5 million on Christmas lights, $773,000 to restore a 1918 streetcar and $303,257 to erect an arch at the entrance to Sandwich Town. Some councillors seemed to think the projects are free because much of the money is coming from a $7.2-million parking garage that won’t be built.

At the same time, council rejected paying grants of up to $10,000 to make dark, filthy alleys safer and more attractive.

“When I have to continually go back to residents and say there is no money for a $3,000 alley light where that person got beat up and raped last week, it’s hard,” a frustrated Coun. Rino Bortolin, who represents downtown, told the Windsor Star. “They say: ‘Whatever. You just got Christmas lights, you just got a trolley.’ ”

For that, Bortolin, one of the hardest-working councillors, is being investigated by council’s integrity commissioner. There was no report of a rape in an alley, said Mayor Drew Dilkens and Coun. Jo-Anne Gignac. Did Bortolin’s hyperbole violate the code of conduct, affronted colleagues are demanding to know.

Many people understand that Bortolin wasn’t referring to an actual crime. He was making a point about unsafe alleys and priorities. But that doesn’t matter. He apologized for his “poor choice of words” the day the story was published. That doesn’t matter, either. Here was a chance to censure and discredit a councillor who disagrees with the mayor and his majority.

If this is such a concern, why did Gignac, who made the motion to investigate Bortolin, wait almost three weeks to do it? She was away, she said. Why did she call for a vote at a public meeting? She wanted to know what the rest of council thought, she said. Anyone can file a complaint to the integrity commissioner. This was designed for maximum PR. The hypocrisy was astounding. “You respect your fellow councillors’ decisions,” lectured Coun. Paul Borrelli. “You don’t go on social media or talk to reporters on criticizing that very decision made in a democratic process. I find that very shameful and very concerning.”

Remember Dilkens, who sets the tone, on radio in 2015 addressing councillors who voted against a sports tourism office: “Get on the train. Stop the whining.”

Councillors aren’t supposed to disparage delegations or the public, either, according to their procedure bylaw, which also addresses conduct.

But this was Borrelli to the respected Downtown Windsor Business Accelerator in 2015: “I’m very suspect. I feel something ’s lacking. Where is their resourcefulness?”

Using gender in this intrigue is particularly discomfiting. As a woman, the issue of rape is very sensitive, said Gignac, the only female councillor. Suddenly, most of the rest of council — all men — were apparently afraid to disagree.

“Chalk it up to misspeaking,” Coun. Fred Francis reasoned about Bortolin’s rant. But he deferred to Gignac, “because she’s a woman.”

Michelle Schryer, executive director of the Chatham-Kent Sexual Assault Crisis Centre, wasn’t offended by what Bortolin said. Other women she talked to weren’t offended, either.

“In the same way those who hold privilege have a responsibility to use their privilege and the cards they hold to help advance equality, those who are marginalized or disadvantaged have a responsibility to be discerning in the choices they make to invoke the cards they hold,” she said.

It’s difficult to see what will be gained from this investigation. It was two sentences, misspoken, regretted.

It’s easy to see what has been lost: an opportunity to reconsider safety in our alleys. Police didn’t receive a report on a rape in an alley, but only 33 of every 1,000 sexual assaults are reported. Amir Hayat Malik was murdered in an alley in Glengarry in 2015. Dozens of needles are found in alleys. Residents say they’re afraid.

It’s also a lost opportunity to re-examine how council spends money — because council is too busy investigating the councillor who questioned that. Integrity commissioner Bruce Elman charges a $1,000 a month retainer and $300 an hour for investigations. For that, we could probably buy an alley light.