The meeting was reported in the Windsor Star the next day:

http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Informal+meeting+with+CUPE+city+province+goes+nowhere/1698204/story.html

That was the first leak. By whom is anyone’s guess.

The second, more serious leak (PRBs being ‘off the table’) , occurred on Wednesday June 17th and, per CUPE’s complaint (item 48) “the information disseminated by the A Channel News Story was EXACTLY [my emphasis] the proposal which had been table by the CUPE locals”.

Item 49 only complains that the city keeps reneging on its agreement to keep negotiations secret.

I feel a growing pit in my stomach …

The integrity commissioner would never find that out since he is restricted to members of council only.

The internal “probe” may or may not find that out – but it would a great relief for the Mayor to be able to “blame” the past (past mediator), as he likes to do with nearly every other issue that is haunting him.

Would the “internal” probe find this out? Not likely. Because an internal probe is not the same as an enquiry. No one under oath etc. So for anyone to blame a mediator; there would have to be ample evidence; or an admission of guilt by the mediator.

Though what does under oath really mean? No sir, I didn’t instruct anyone to do anything. (batting of innocent eyes).

Except – was the mediator even present during this round of negotiations? I thought it was just CUPE and the City?

http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090621/windsor_talks_090621/20090621/?hub=TorontoNewHome

Obviously Eddie really liked where the talks were headed at the time the leak happened. And judging by his disappointment with the leak, did he have the mediator in his pocket along with the Windsor Star the whole time?

Was the leak “verbal” or was it documents – I didn’t see the A-News report.

If it was documents, perhaps the Windsor Star ought to publish them as they did with CUPE’s complaint to the Labour Relations Board.

Then we can know with certainty.

In tonight’s Star article entitled “Integrity commissioner to probe Windsor councillors about leak” by Donald McArthur, the reporter’s last statement was:

“The union’s complaint says the offer as reported by the media WAS EXACTLY THE PROPOSAL tabled by the union.”

Yet in the article by Doug Schmidt entitled “CUPE denies leak, may amp up strike activitity”:

According to the leak, CUPE appeared ready to relent on the city’s insistence that new hires no longer be entitled to post-retirement benefits.

“Definitely untrue,” Wood said Friday when asked by reporters if those benefits, which the city has described as a threshold issue, were taken off the table.

Donald McArthur must also have a copy of the Local 82 proposal that was leaked to the media in order to make such a claim.