Mayoral candidate Karen Stintz is defending herself against accusations that she received preferential treatment in the aftermath of the December ice storm.
In a report published in the Toronto Sun on Wednesday, CUPE Local One president John Camilleri said that one of his members was told by a superior to restore the power to Stintz’s midtown home “as soon as possible” because “there is a councillor that lives there.”
However, in a press release issued Wednesday morning, Stintz said she never asked for any kind of preferential treatment.
About 300,000 customers were without power following the ice storm and Stintz previously told reporters that she lost power for about one day.
“At no time did I ask for from Toronto Hydro, or receive, any special treatment regarding restoration of service during the ice storm. I would be shocked if any members of council did, given that we all know that this is not how the power grid works,” Stintz said. “Homes cannot be reconnected individually. A section of the grid gets reconnected and the homes and businesses in that area have their power restored.”
The comment from CUPE One comes one day after Stintz announced that if elected she would look to sell the majority of Toronto Hydro in order to help fund a downtown relief subway line and in her press release the Ward 16 councillor hints that the union is coming after her for that announcement.
CUPE One represents about 1,500 Toronto Hydro workers.
“I can appreciate that members of the CUPE union which represent unionized Toronto Hydro employees will fight for these union positions and against my policy to privatize part of Toronto Hydro,” she said. “I expect they will fight back against my policy in various ways in the months to come, with both personal and issue-based attacks.”
Remember for instant breaking news follow @cp24 on Twitter.
