TORONTO - Ontario's ombudsman is scolding the Sudbury city council for holding a private meeting to discuss a scandal involving Elton John concert tickets.
But Andre Marin says the closed-door meeting "was close to the legal line,'' and warns the councillors not to claim they have been vindicated.
There was a public outcry in Sudbury over the sold-out March 2 show by the pop music legend when it was revealed the 13 council members purchased 120 tickets ahead of the general public.
Eleven councillors met privately in February to discuss the mayor's request to return some of the tickets, which Marin says was not technically a city council meeting under the law.
In his report, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me,'' Marin says the Feb. 20 meeting "did not appear to be above board,'' adding he's not surprised it generated a complain to the Ombudsman's office.
Marin notes the Sudbury council has since voted to end the practice of council members getting advance access to events at the municipal arena.
