CTV Ottawa has learned the city's auditor general, whose job includes monitoring transparency and spending at Ottawa City Hall, has been given a $100,000-payment that was never supposed to be made public.
"I don't know how it became public because I said it was an issue that was discussed in-camera and the information that you received should never have been received by you," Alain Lalonde told CTV Ottawa on Thursday.
CTV has learned city councillors recently voted on the advice of city staff to give Lalonde a one-time cash payment of $100,000 to top up his pension. That's on top of his $208,000-yearly salary.
However, council did not approve the payment unanimously. Councillors Diane Deans and Eli El-Chantiry both voted against the move.
"If council wouldn't like to do it in public, they shouldn't do it in private," said Deans.
"I don't think it's a good thing to do when you are in that position (auditor general)," added El-Chantiry.
However, the city's lawyer says personal issues, such as this, are always dealt with behind closed doors.
"It's not keeping it a secret, it's following the rules of procedure with regards to him and indeed any other employee of the city," said Rick O'Connor.
Sources say although the $100,000-payment wasn't on obligation, it was in Lalonde's contract when he took the job.
Although Lalonde isn't saying much about the payment, he told CTV Ottawa the leak is a breach in city policy.
"I would suggest the person that provided that information to you should be very careful," he said.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Catherine Lathem
