CBC: Sam Katz ‘friends’ with police HQ contractor, say court documents
Court documents unsealed Monday have raised questions about the relationship between former mayor Sam Katz and Caspian Construction owner Armik Babakhanians, and how involved Katz was in the construction of the new police headquarters….
Paul Thomas, professor emeritus at the University of Manitoba, said Sam Katz should be entitled to privacy and the benefit of the doubt but he acknowledges the public is less tolerant than it used to be.
“We now hold people to higher standard in which there must not only be real conflicts, but also perceived conflicts, or potentially perceived conflicts of interest,” said Thomas.
“The idea is when you combine your friendships and connections with people with the performance of public duties, it warps your judgment you don’t make judgment in the public interest, you make judgments in the private interest of yourself or your friends.”