You'd think it was a simple request

Is King Township mayoralty candidate Stephen Pellegrini avoiding me on purpose?
I’ll let you decide.
Three weeks ago, Stephen Gleason of King questioned Mr. Pellegrini about his education. Mr. Gleason said Mr. Pellegrini’s campaign brochure gives the impression that he has a Master of Business Administration degree. Meanwhile, Mr. Gleason stated Mr. Pellegrini has “no other university education”.
I called Mr. Pellegrini.
The candidate told me he held a degree in urban and economic geography from the University of Toronto. Mr. Pellegrini also said he has a certificate in information technology from the McGill University in Montreal. I included this information in an earlier blog entry.
Another King Township resident called and insisted that despite what my blog states, Mr. Pellegrini does not hold a degree from the University of Toronto.
I then made two calls to Mr. Pellegrini, leaving a message at his home and another with his campaign manager, stating that I wanted to ask Mr. Pellegrini a follow-up question about his education.
I also sent two e-mails to Mr. Pellegrini, asking to speak to him.
Mr. Pellegrini failed to answer.
On Tuesday, I placed a second call to campaign manager Andrea Loeppky. I was told Mr. Pellegrini is too busy to answer my questions.
In 30 years of covering elections at the municipal, provincial and federal level, I’ve never had a candidate or a campaign manager refuse to answer my questions.
This was, indeed unusual. Naturally, I decided to carry on doing my job. 
On Wednesday, I placed a call to the University of Toronto.
According to the information provided, which was the name Stephen John Pellegrini, the University of Toronto cannot find a record of a degree from the university.
Barbara Patterson, University of Toronto’s factuality of arts registrar, suggested I contact Mr. Pellegrini and in her words, “inform him that the University of Toronto is unable to verify his degree.”
I then called Mr. Pellegrini’s campaign manager again. This was the conversation.
You be the judge.

Listen to Audio

Comments

[Patricia Koblizek]

Mr. Pellegrini must have been confused about which school he attended! I got this email response from one of his supporters after your blog was forwarded to her. Perhaps you could try to follow this one up?

"He told me he holds a MBA from Schulich and did it part-time years ago. I have no reason to doubt him otherwise."

[Richard Johnson]

Question:

If he has the degree and there is confusion about it, why is Joan, Joan, Joan being told she is biased for asking for clarification ?

Hmmmmm... my degree is not in Philosophy and not even from Oxford, Cambridge, Yale, Princeton or Harvard, but I think we all can read between the lines.

Well done Joan, Joan, Joan ! We all know what you have been up to.

Now that we are on the topic; when you are done in King it would be great if you could get back to Aurora and clarify a few points of political spin and hokus-pokus in our mayoral race as well. Tim's implication through the fog, to be the "white night" in the power supply issue could do with some closer examination. As the saying goes "there are miles to go before we vote" and I think that voters deserve, at the very least, the straight and well informed goods before they pick who will represent their interests openly, honestly and with transparency.

Thanks Joan, Joan, Joan and keep up the good work.

[Shirley Ormsby]

A Challenge
Mr. Pellegrini has challenged many people to get to the truth of his educational background which is an important criteria for anyone as a Mayor. Because of that, and not with any surprise, I found out from the Schulich School of Business and the Registrar's Office, that there is NO RECORD of a Stephen John Pellegrini from 1982 forward that says he completed a degree, which is also based on the fact that Mr. Pellegrini would not have been old enough to have completed a (4 year)degree. If anyone doubts that, go to the source as I did by phoning the university.
Why has it been necessary for him to fabricate his abilities other than to promote his possible position in life as a Mayor of King Township, when in reality the incumbent Mayor, Margaret Black has served this community extremely well.
So it is TIME for Mr. Pellegrini to acknowledge his less than honest approach to many residents of this Township. His management qualifications are questionable at best, for his actions as a Ward I councillor in the past has more than caused unnecessary delays in a safe environment for his Ward, but has put the whole Township at risk.
Shirley Ormsby, long time resident

[Leslie Hobson]

I think everyone is being very hard on Mr. Pellegrini.
He stated very clearly in the all candidates meeting held on October 26th that he DOES NOT have an MBA. Just because his website states that he
"has completed the York University Schulich School of Business Masters Program. "
oh....never mind.

[S. Robinson]

Following is an email I sent to Steve Pelligrini after listening to Joans phone call to his campaign manager.

Mr. Pelligrini

As a recently new resident to King Township and a voter who was thinking about voting fo you I am shocked at your avoidance in answering a simple question about your degree at the University of Toronto. I am even more appalled at the response given to Joan Ransberry by your campaign manager. The "come ons, get real" and so on responses from her tell me that you are not interested in serving the township honestly. I also, as Joan asked, feel you have to answer and set the record straight about your credentials. As a voter when I hear Andreas' responses that you are too busy and her asking Joan who she thinks she is trying to fool, I am wondering if you are trying to fool people. If I vote for you as Mayor and want some answers, are you going to be too busy or is Andrea going to be unprofessionally rude and cut me off? Now I really want to know the truth about your degree. Not that it would matter in my decision anymore, just hearing how your campaign manager speaks to the public has made up my mind.

Ms. S. Robinson

[Derek Stunden]

Am I missing something? It seems to me it is a simple question requiring a simple answer!! Does he have the degree(s) he purports to have or not. If he does fine if not... well ???

[Kathleen Bell]

Re: You'd think it was a simple request.

Thank you for exposing the truth about Steve Pellegrini.

I actually feel a touch of sympathy for his naive campaign manager. How would you like to spend your whole life running a year long campaign and find out your candidate has misrepresented himself?

What does one do with a Steve Pellegrini who has misrepresented himself? What case do municipalities have against a liar? He is not alone in municipal politics.

For the past 6 years, Steve Pellegrini has been able to squeeze and squirm his way out of his lies, suggestions and innuendos Look at his record.

But, the fabrications of university degrees reaches a new level of deceit.
There is no shame in municipal politics of not having a degree if one is honest, hardworking, willing to learn, and competent in career and public service. But to fabricate degrees seems a breach of trust and more.

[Stephen Kornblum]

Hello Joan
Bravo on some really fine detective work. Now how about Mr. Mortelliti ? He's had 3 jobs over the past 3 years. Talk about stability. He has worked in an environment of civil engineering for 22 years. As what ? At least he doesn't say that he holds a degree in civil engeering. But I suppose someone has to change the toner cartridges in the office.
Keep up the good work oan
regards,
Stephen Kornblum

[Kathleen Bell]

Good point re Cleve Mortelitti newly elected councillor in King City. His campaign literature states that he has worked for 20 years in the "Engineering profession". Isn't that a distinct and specific terms for professional engineers?
Mortelliti's response -
"And no – I am NOT a P.Eng. Nor have I EVER said that I was. But I do have 20 years experience in this business – enough experience to get hired by the Township, and by the company I work for now."

"So I know a thing or two about Civil Engineering. Also – they are many types of P.Eng’s. They all have specialties. An engineer whose specialty is civil, cannot apply their stamp to a structural drawing without breaching their ethics or exposing themselves to liability. And the interesting thing about engineering, is that for most part the NON engineers do all the engineering work, and the Engineers simply sign off on it. "

Another phone call needed, Joan

[Cameron L. Fellman]

The issue surrounding this candidate's credentials has two dimensions. First,is the fact that someone running for public office has tried to mislead the voting public in his brochure and on his website about a masters degree. Furthermore, he really showed his colours when he told a member of the press he had an undergraduate degree from UofT when in actual fact there is no record of his graduation from three sources at the University. It should now be obvious to everyone including his supporters that this person is not fit to run for any public office.
The second dimension to this issue has to do with the business schools and the nomenclature they use in naming the non degree continuing education or business training seminars and programs they offer. The program that this candidate took is named "A Masters Certificate in Project Management" and then in 2003 he took a certification exam from the Project Management Institute PMI in Pennsilvania to obtain the PMP designation.
It is the use of the word Masters thet enabled the candidate to twist what he really had into what could only be interpreted in his election material to be an MBA. So, the conclusion is that the Universities should not be embellishing thier certificate programs with words that relate to degree programs.
Finally, I believe this whole blogging effort had a material effect on the outcome of the election in King and thank goodness for that!

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I then made two calls to Mr. Pellegrini, leaving a message at his home and another with his campaign manager, stating that I wanted to ask Mr. Pellegrini a follow-up question about his education.

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