I use that joke only to highlight the fact that fraud in the real world of municipal service isn't funny. Fraud is a very serious issue for the new city. We are all public servants. We are stewards of public assets, entrusted by citizens with those assets. When a public servant commits fraud, it casts a long shadow over us all.
Fraud undermines the reputation of a trustworthy and competent civil service.
That is a reputation for which this country, at all government levels, is known around the world. The fact that the City of Toronto is a new creature merely adds to the importance of cutting fraud off at the root. As a new city we are being watched, ever so much closer by the media and the public, to see where the cracks are. On the up side, because we are new, it also means that we have an opportunity to adopt the best practices available. Furthermore, we serve in a time when accountability is more than a buzzword.