WEASEL WATSON

   Councillors canvassed Tuesday after learning Mayor Jim Watson received a heads-up about SNC-Lavalin’s bid scoring ahead of council’s $1.6-billion contract vote on the Trillium Line expansion were either miffed about not receiving the same disclosure or indifferent about the revelation.
   Coun. Jeff Leiper called it “absolutely troubling” that the mayor knew the confidential information and not the rest of council. It’s understandable that the mayor as CEO of the municipality receives privileged information from time to time, but it’s a different story when the information would help inform a council vote, Leiper said.
  During a finance committee meeting Monday night, councillors learned from the city manager that Watson received a briefing on March 5, 2019 about the Stage 2 contracts, including details about the discretionary clause the city used to keep SNC-Lavalin in the Trillium Line contract competition.