Valeri's Big Deal VI

The Hamilton Spectator took Habamus Rodentum’s lead and inquired at the City of Hamilton’s Building department and a planner with the Niagara Escarpment Commission to find out a little more detail on Valeri’s property. (I guess a previous marriage to a planner kinda helped with some transferable skills in knowing what and who to ask - even though I didn't get the right planning dept!)

As the Spec found out, Valeri told the Ethics Commission that he had planned to build a house across both lots but the plans that were submitted to the NEC showed no indication of Valeri doing so.

Instead he classified the property as recreational veiling that it was a possible investment tool.

Valeri told the Spec “he bought the property next door because he intended to build a new home that would straddle both lots. After talking to his builder, he said he decided to sell the property when he learned it wouldn’t be needed to accommodate his new house.”

As the Spec reports “records show he knew well before the purchase that the didn’t need the land”
[…]
“The application included site plan drawings showing where the house would be located on the lot, as well as a sketch of the proposed home. A spokesperson for the City of Hamilton’s building department said there is no record of any attempt by Valeri to amend his building permit application before or after it was issued to take into account the purchase of the adjoining property.”
[…]
“A planner with the NEC also said there were no amendments to Valeri’s building application. The property on Ridge Road falls within the Niagara Escarpment Commission’s control. Both the City of Hamilton and the NEC said there was nothing about Valeri’s application that prevented him from building the proposed home on his existing lot or that would have forced him to acquire more property.”
[…]
“Nothing was ever brought to his attention that this wasn’t going to work,” said Martin Kilian, a planner with the NEC. It was a straightforward, met-all-criteria application all the way through”.
[…]
“In fact, Valeri was informed before he bought his neighbour’s property that his building application for the existing lot had been approved by the NEC.”

See full report here

What makes this all the more interesting is the engineer whose son bought Valeri’s property and the other Liberals he donated to, including $10,000 to the Paul Martin Leadership Trust. He also has extensive business contacts in China and sat as a board member for a scientific board that advised cabinet – all according the Spec’s report.

I had a feeling that the Port Authority had something to do with this because at the back of my mind I kept it in my thoughts that Mr. Valeri was a former Minister of Transportation. Transport Canada is oversees that Hamilton’s Port is in compliance with international ISPS regulations.

This blog post noted that they weren’t and an investigation was commenced by Transport Canada. (I'm adding this post just because it mentions real estate transactions at the end of it.)

That day they were transporting goods from China

See today’s on-line Spec for the rest of the details under the heading "Ng’s not going public, especially during election”.

Is that some sort of a cover-up?

Gee, does that mean the Spec is going to offer me a job?