Mayor's involvement in denying controversial bus ad leaves 'negative perception'

A Transit Windsor advertising request on a controversial topic became political when the mayor got involved, CBC News has learned, and in the end the ad was denied.

"It shows a lack of transparency," said Save Ojibway member Nancy Panchesan after first finding out from CBC News the mayor played a role in her ad being denied.

"That's very disappointing to see," she said. "The first word that comes to mind is oligarchy."

Watch as the mayor responds to questions about his involvement: 

Windsor's mayor responds to his involvement in an environmental city bus ad being denied

6 years ago

Duration 3:04

In this unedited video, Windsor's mayor Drew Dilkens answers questions by CBC News as to why he got involved in discussions about an environmental city bus ad that was ultimately denied

The concern around this is that it perhaps lends itself to a very negative perception around how this matter was dealt with ...- Bill Marra, transit committee chair & city councillor

The ad in question was created by the Save Ojibway group advocating to close a section of Matchette Road, near the Ojibway Prairie​ Complex, to better protect the environment. Council voted against closing the road in May, 2017 in fear of legal action because a big-box store development had already been approved in the area.

Last year before that decision, the group wanted to pay for a Save Ojibway ad to be on Transit Windsor buses. The request was initially denied because officials said it was "too political."

However, Transit Windsor's ad policy does allow political ads. The policy also states ads, political or otherwise, are allowed as long as they are not offensive and have to meet national regulations. But there is a safety valve — staff have the final say over any ads, a tool officials say was used to bar the Save Ojibway ad.

So, CBC News filed a request to gain access to email from transit officials, people at city hall, and the mayor's office on the topic. Before the appeal, much of the content was blacked-out.

Bus ad request forwarded to mayor

Afterwards, one email thread showed the request ultimately being forwarded to Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens' alias email account known as Andrew Ray.

"Please see the mayor's request relative to the ad," said Onorio Colucci, the city's CAO, in an email thread involving the mayor.

What was in the mayor's email remains redacted, but we do know the ad was ultimately denied.

During an interview with CBC News, Dilkens wouldn't reveal what his request was in the email chain. And, said it's not uncommon for him to be looped in to issues of some concern.

"I was not the decision maker, but I think by virtue of my comments to you, you can appreciate I'm protecting the interests of taxpayers and when there's exposure to a $20-million-plus lawsuit and anything that feeds into helping that lawsuit proceed against taxpayers," said Dilkens. "I think one can understand where I fell on that particular issue and what my decision would have been had I been the decision maker, but I will always protect the interests of the taxpayers of the City of Windsor."

As chairperson of the Transit Windsor Advisory Committee, city councillor Bill Marra says administrative policies should be followed and "administrators should do the jobs they've been empowered to do and that they're authorized to do."

"The concern around this is that it perhaps it lends itself to a very negative perception around how this matter was dealt with, that politics may have interfered in what should had been an administrative decision based on an existing policy," said Marra. "That's the optics associated with a decision of this nature when elected officials become involved in those kinds of decisions."

Marra had previously told CBC News he believed "the ad should have proceeded" and the denial only "fuelled cynicism" in the community.