It appears that a debate challenge issued this afternoon to Mayor Al McDonald from Taxpayers' Association treasurer Don Rennick has been iced by McDonald.
"We will not be commenting. The Mayor will not debate with an individual or association," Communications Officer Jaclyn Bucik said in an email in response to the challenge.
With McDonald banning Rennick from speaking to council until he apologizes, a showdown appears unlikely.
Rennick also isn't backing down. In fact he's demanding an apology from McDonald.
In an email to BayToday, Rennick said he won't even try to address council.
"What we want is a public debate with the Mayor, providing figures, to support his contention that his plan is not an expensive public relations exercise. We have supplied a summary of our calculation of the cost to taxpayers over 20 years of his plan and want the Mayor to provide evidence that we are mistaken or provide figures of his own.
"I will not be making another attempt to address council until I get an apology from the Mayor regarding the pack of lies he told in order to banish me from continually telling the public the truth about city administration.
"In any event, you see the reception people get when they dare to question council and their actions. It’s like talking to a group of eight year olds and just puts my blood pressure up."
