Today’s word is ‘integrity’

I, like many of you, watched with both horror and fascination as the alleged transgressions of Toronto’s Mayor Rob Ford, and possibly more members of his immediate family, played out in the national and international press last week.

Besides the carnival sideshow aspect of the whole affair, allegations that the leader of one of this country’s prime economic engines — the city of Toronto — might use a highly addictive mind-altering substance while in the company of some pretty shady characters is an important news story.

That other members of the family might have had ties to the drug trade 30 years ago — though I personally question the timing of the Globe and Mail’s story — has many of us shaking our heads in befuddlement.

It makes us question their integrity.

The only person who may be celebrating the Fords’ troubles is Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

As we stare, askance, appalled and enamoured, at what’s happening in Toronto, our attention is diverted from the senate debacle unfolding in Ottawa, a story far bigger and more important to our national political system than the rise and fall of the Fords.

That’s it’s ethically questionable for the PM’s chief of staff to write a personal cheque to a Canadian senator, those politicians tasked with providing, ostensibly, sober second thought on government legislation, is painfully obvious to most of us.

That it wouldn’t be obvious to these fellows — powerful members of a government that has proven itself more keen than most on controlling perception and message — seems, well, unbelievable. It has the reek of palms being greased and loyalties being bought.

And it makes us question their integrity.

And right here at home, it seems even Greater Sudbury’s mayor thinks city hall needs something tangible to reassure people local government is transparent and accountable. This past weekend, Marianne Matichuk renewed her call for an integrity commissioner at Tom Davies Square to oversee the city’s dealings.

There’s that word again, “integrity.”

To be sure, rules were sidestepped in the administration of a city transit contract that broke some clear ethical guidelines, if not laws. And the city, citing privacy concerns, has thus far refused to tell taxpayers what kind of disciplinary action was taken against those involved.

When we, as taxpayers, feel our governments are making decisions in a vacuum, it is only natural for some to question the integrity of those we’ve chosen to govern our affairs.

That’s not to say those we’ve elected — Rob Ford, Stephen Harper or members of city council and, by extension, city staff — are undeserving of our trust, but the perception of the potential for impropriety jams a wedge of doubt between us.

Because integrity isn’t just a word. It’s a contract between those who wield power and those who grant the permission to do so, between politician and taxpayer.

And right now, in Toronto, in Ottawa and in Greater Sudbury, many people are questioning the terms of that contract.

Mark Gentili is the managing editor of Northern Life.