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Hot dog! Weiner accused of scandal! Has it come to this? Has Gerry Weiner, once a respected federal cabinet minister, become nothing more than a crooked city councillor, peddling influence in city hall to promote his own real-estate developments? City hall opposition leader Michel Prescott thinks that just might be the case. At a press conference last Tuesday, Prescott presented documents showing that Weiner is a major shareholder in Atwater Development Inc., which owns the land just east of Atwater Market. The company is planning a shopping mall for the land, and needs the city to change the land's current zoning designation. Prescott points out that Weiner, councillor for the downtown Peter-McGill district and a member of mayor Pierre Bourque's executive committee, failed to mention his involvement with Atwater Development Inc. in his official financial declaration, which all city councillors must file. "An incomplete financial declaration can be grounds for dismissal from the executive committee, and even for expulsion from public office," charges Prescott. Prescott accuses Weiner of conflict of interest, and is calling for his immediate resignation. Weiner is currently outside the country and was unavailable for comment. --Philip Preville |