I, Ashu M. G. Solo, filed the following:

1. Civil rights case against the City of Saskatoon (Mayor's Office) and Councillor Randy Donauer for prayer recitations at government organized events

2. Code of Conduct complaint against Mayor Don Atchison for potential online campaign advertising violations

3. Civil rights case against the City of Saskatoon (Saskatoon Transit Services) for promoting holidays from only one religion on city buses

4. Human rights complaint against the City of Saskatoon (Executive Committee) for retaliating against me by not reappointing me to the Cultural Diversity and Race Relations Committee and not appointing me to another civic committee or board

5. Human rights complaint against the City of Saskatoon (City Solicitor’s Office) for retaliating against me by trying to deprive me of my right to directly communicate with members of City Council and by telling employees of other City of Saskatoon departments to not talk to me

6. Human rights complaint against the City of Saskatoon (Cultural Diversity and Race Relations Office) and City of Saskatoon (Living in Harmony Ad Hoc Subcommittee of Cultural Diversity and Race Relations Committee) for retaliating against me by not considering my submissions to the Living in Harmony Contest

This site contains my media releases, some case documents, emails to City Council, etc.

I don't waste my time arguing with opponents.

The backlash makes me much more determined to fight against bigotry and shows the need for these civil rights cases, so I'll be filing more civil rights cases. You ain't seen nothing yet.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

MEDIA ALERT: Saskatoon City Council Took No Action on Solo's Code of Conduct Complaint against Mayor Don Atchison

From: Ashu M. G. Solo [mailto:amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us] 
Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2012 12:34 AM
To: amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us
Cc: 'mayors.office@saskatoon.ca'; 'randy.donauer@saskatoon.ca'; 'eric.olauson@saskatoon.ca'; 'darren.hill@saskatoon.ca'; 'pat.lorje@saskatoon.ca'; 'ann.iwanchuk@saskatoon.ca'; 'troy.davies@saskatoon.ca'; 'charlie.clark@saskatoon.ca'; 'mairin.loewen@saskatoon.ca'; 'tiffany.paulsen@saskatoon.ca'; zach.jeffries@saskatoon.ca
Subject: MEDIA ALERT: Saskatoon City Council Took No Action on Solo's Code of Conduct Complaint against Mayor Don Atchison

Dear Media:

See the attached letter I received from the new Saskatoon city clerk, Joanne Sproule, on the outcome of my Code of Conduct complaint against Mayor Don Atchison for his online campaign advertising.  The city clerk forwarded a report on my Code of Conduct complaint against Atchison to the Executive Committee.  The Executive Committee is what they call City Council members meeting in private.  At a meeting yesterday, the Executive Committee/City Council decided to take no action on my complaints. 

The lack of action was a cowardly action.  By imposing no sanction against Atchison, City Council has opened the door to council members violating the Code of Conduct without punishment.  I think City Council decided to protect one of its own members from punishment.  An independent individual or independent committee should be assessing potential violations of the Code of Conduct.

Although I don’t agree with the rule banning council members from using their titles in campaign advertising, the rules must be enforced for those council members who violate them.  The people who make the rules must follow the rules.

How can Atchison have the moral authority, honor, or integrity to make laws as the mayor if he can’t follow the intent of rules and laws in the Saskatoon City Council Code of Conduct, Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, and Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?  How can Atchison have the moral authority, honor, or integrity to serve on the Board of Police Commissioners for the Saskatoon Police Service, which enforces criminal and traffic law, if he can’t follow the intent of other rules and laws in the Saskatoon City Council Code of Conduct, Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, and Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?  Atchison doesn’t have the moral authority, honor, or integrity to be on City Council or to be on the Board of Police Commissioners.  I believe that the Executive Committee should have removed  Atchison from the Board of Police Commissioners.  This sanction is allowed under the City Council Code of Conduct (http://www.saskatoon.ca/CITY%20COUNCIL/Pages/CodeofConduct.aspx).

Details of my Code of Conduct complaint against Atchison follow in the emails below.  I am attaching a letter from the Saskatoon city clerk on the outcome of my Code of Conduct complaint.  

Best regards,

Ashu M. G. Solo

From: Sproule, Joanne (Clerks) [mailto:Joanne.Sproule@Saskatoon.ca]
Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2012 4:30 PM
To: 'amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us'
Subject: RE: Expansion of Formal Complaint against Candidate Don Atchison

Good afternoon Mr. Solo,

With regard to your enquiry below, a response is attached.

Best regards,
Joanne Sproule
City Clerk

From: Ashu M. G. Solo [mailto:amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us]
Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2012 4:49 AM
To: Mann, Janice (Clerks); Sproule, Joanne (Clerks)
Subject: RE: Expansion of Formal Complaint against Candidate Don Atchison

Dear Janice Mann and Joanne Sproule,

I heard that the Executive Committee didn’t look at my Code of Conduct complaint against Mayor Don Atchison yesterday.  I received some media inquiries about this yesterday.  The media was wondering and I was wondering when the Executive Committee will look at my complaint.

Best regards,

Ashu M. G. Solo

From: Mann, Janice (Clerks) [mailto:Janice.Mann@Saskatoon.ca]
Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2012 8:18 AM
To: 'amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us'
Subject: RE: Expansion of Formal Complaint against Candidate Don Atchison

Dear Mr. Solo

Thank you for your email.  Your expanded complaint will be placed before the Executive Committee at its November 5th meeting.

I also want to advise you that for complaints regarding the Code of Conduct the identity of the complainant(s) will be made known to the Executive Committee and to the candidate against whom the complaint is made.   I assume that since you have copied all of Council already you will still wish to proceed with your complaint; however if that is not the case please let me know.

Yours sincerely,

Janice Mann
City Clerk

From: Ashu M. G. Solo [mailto:amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us]
Sent: October 17, 2012 7:54 AM
To: Mann, Janice (Clerks)
Cc: Web E-mail - Mayor's Office; Donauer, Randy (City Councillor); Penner, Glen (City Councillor); Lorje, Pat (City Councillor); Iwanchuk, Ann (City Councillor); Clark, Charlie (City Councillor); Loewen, Mairin (City Councillor); Paulsen, Tiffany (City Councillor); Dubois, Bev (City Councillor); Hill, Darren (City Councillor)
Subject: Expansion of Formal Complaint against Candidate Don Atchison

Dear Janice Mann:

I would like to expand the scope of my formal complaint against candidate Don Atchison to also include potential violations of the Saskatoon City Council Code of Conduct on his campaign Web site and campaign Twitter account. 

Candidate Tom Wolf brought these potential Code of Conduct violations to light.  Candidate Atchison should have made sure that there were no other potential violations of the City Council Code of Conduct after candidate Wolf brought these potential Code of Conduct violations to light.  However, candidate Atchison didn’t do this because I found potential violations of the Code of Conduct on his Facebook account.

I would now like my formal complaint to cover all of the following campaign advertising actions that potentially violated the City Council Code of Conduct:

1. References to candidate Atchison as “Mayor Atchison,” “Mayor Atch,” and “Mayor of Saskatoon” on his campaign Facebook account.
2. Reference to candidate Atchison as “Mayor of Saskatoon” on his campaign Twitter account.
3. References to candidate Atchison as “Mayor Don Atchison,” “Mayor Atchison,” and “Mayor of Saskatoon” on his campaign Web site.

I don’t have screen captures of candidate Atchison’s campaign Web site or campaign Twitter account.  However, the potential violations on his campaign Web site or campaign Twitter account were reported in the StarPhoenix article entitled “Wolf questions Atchison’s Use of Mayor’s Office” by David Hutton at http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Wolf+questions+Atchison+mayor+office/7312029/story.html.

After my complaint, candidate Atchison removed a bunch of videos from his campaign Web site.  This was reported in the StarPhoenix article entitled “Complaint filed over Atchison’s use of ‘mayor’” by Charles Hamilton and David Hutton at http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Complaint+filed+over+Atchison+mayor/7335391/story.html.  The videos are now back on candidate Atchison’s campaign Web site.  I think the only likely reason that these videos would be temporarily removed after my complaint is if they contained references to candidate Atchison as “Mayor Atchison.”  I believe the Executive Committee of City Council should appoint an independent investigator to determine if this was the case.  If these videos violated the City Council Code of Conduct, I would like to add this to my formal complaint.

Furthermore, it has been brought to my attention by a citizen of Saskatoon that there was a Mayor’s Cultural Gala insert in an issue of the StarPhoenix in the first week of October 2012 ,and that this insert contained numerous references to candidate Atchison as “Mayor Atchison.”  I don’t have a copy of this insert, I haven’t seen it, and I don’t know if it constitutes campaign advertising.  I think if there is an independent investigator, she should also look into this.  If this Mayor’s Cultural Gala insert  violated the City Council Code of Conduct, I would like to add this to my formal complaint.

I don’t agree with banning references to council members as “Mayor X” or “Councillor Y” in campaign advertising.  I don’t think this is important to ban and I think this should be changed by City Council.  However, because this is prohibited by the City Council Code of Conduct approved by City Council, the rules must be followed by all council members.  Because of potential violations of the City Council Code of Conduct, I believe that candidate Atchison has unethically gained an advantage over the other candidates for the extremely important office of mayor. 

I’m copying this email message to City Council and blind copying it to various media outlets, so they can be aware of the expansion of this important formal complaint against candidate Atchison. 

I’m making this complaint because in a democracy, the government doesn’t just hold citizens accountable, but citizens hold government accountable.  Not only is the business of government the business of people, but the business of people is the business of government.

Best regards,

Ashu M. G. Solo

From: Ashu M. G. Solo [mailto:amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us]
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 2:39 AM
To: ‘City Clerk’s Office’
Subject: Potential Violations of the City Council Code of Conduct by Don Atchison

Dear City Clerk’s Office:

I read the StarPhoenix article “Wolf questions Atchison’s Use of Mayor’s Office” by David Hutton at http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Wolf+questions+Atchison+mayor+office/7312029/story.html.   I understand that Tom Wolf’s campaign team says repeated use of the title “mayor” by Don Atchison in online campaign advertising violates the City Council Code of Conduct (http://www.saskatoon.ca/CITY%20COUNCIL/Pages/CodeofConduct.aspx#elections).  I further understand that after the City Clerk’s Office contacted Atchison’s campaign headquarters about references to him as “Mayor Don Atchison” and “Mayor Atchison” on his campaign Web site and a reference to him as “Mayor of Saskatoon” on his Twitter account, they removed these references.

I just took a look at Atchison’s official campaign account on the social network Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/DonAtchisonSaskatoon/info).  On the “About” page of this Facebook account, there are five references to Atchison as “Mayor Atchison” and a reference to him as “Mayor Atch” in his biography and awards.  There are also five references to Atchison as “Mayor of Saskatoon” on the “About” page of his Facebook account.  The text for his biography and awards on this Facebook page follows below.  I am also attaching a screen capture of this Facebook page.

From Don Atchison’s Facebook page:

Biography
Don Atchison was first elected to Saskatoon city council in 1994 and served as councillor up to his election as mayor in 2003. He was re-elected mayor in 2006 and again in 2009. Throughout his years in public office, he has never wavered from his commitment to the inclusion of all Saskatoon citizens and neighbourhoods. He strives to see all sides of the issues and to work in partnership to create 
the greatest benefit for all citizens of Saskatoon.

Mayor Atchison inspires confidence in our collective ability to achieve bold visions. After decades of indecision, River Landing is now evolving before our eyes, and the South Bridge – first discussed almost a century ago – will soon be spanning the South Saskatchewan.

But “thinking big” isn’t just about big structures; Mayor Atchison has been equally as adamant about finding innovative ways to fund affordable housing, rejuvenate neighbourhoods, reduce crime and involve people from all walks of life in the decisions about our future, such as through the “Saskatoon Speaks”. His vision and pursuit of excellence for Saskatoon is as wide as it is deep.

“Atch” learned the value of teamwork early in his life. Growing up in Saskatoon, he was involved in a variety of activities. He especially loved sports, where his talent as a hockey goaltender led to playing in the professional leagues. After hockey, he returned to Saskatoon and his family’s retail business. He and his wife Mardele have remained committed Saskatoon, where they have raised their five children.

In recognition of his work, Mayor Atchison has received a number of honours, including being named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International; the Medal of Merit by the International Association of Lions Clubs; and the Saskatchewan Centennial Award.

What is his greatest honour? Ask Mayor Atch and he will quickly reply, “Serving the greatest city in Canada.”

Awards
In recognition of his work, Mayor Atchison has received a number of honours, including being named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International; the Medal of Merit by the International Association of Lions Clubs; the Consumer Choice Man of the Year Award; and the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance President's Award for Public Sector Supporter.
I don’t agree with banning references to council members as “Mayor X” or “Councillor Y” in campaign advertising.  However, because this is prohibited by the City Council Code of Conduct approved by City Council, the rules should be followed by all council members.

Atchison’s Facebook account was created on September 5, 2012 obviously for his reelection campaign.  I assume he has been violating the City Council Code of Conduct since then.

I strongly believe that Don Atchison should be sanctioned in accordance with the City Council Code of Conduct.

I am blind copying this email to Tom Wolf, various media outlets, and Don Atchison, so they can also be aware of these potentially serious violations of the City Council Code of Conduct by Don Atchison.

I look forward to your response.

Best regards,

Ashu M. G. Solo