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“I know what some people will say: ‘He shouldn’t run for mayor, he’s going to be abdicating his responsibility because he’ll be declaring conflicts on just about everything.’ That may or may not be true, but there’s no opinion I could give that would generally cover him off.”

Under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, councillors are required to abstain from any debate and vote that has the potential to directly or indirectly affect them financially – and that includes any economic benefit to a child or spouse.

The onus is on anyone who challenges a councillor under those rules to prove a clear economic interest in a court battle, Mascarin added.

Paolatto insists he’ll recuse himself on any applications that include his wife’s company – or any policy initiative that could benefit Sifton. And at every stage, he’d consult the city’s integrity commissioner, he said.

“I’m going to be responsible about how I vote or even how I advocate for a position,” Paolatto said. “If it disqualifies me in the view of Londoners, then so be it. They have an opportunity to vote me in knowing that upfront.”

But how many exclusions will Paolatto’s conflicts present?

What about applications from other developers? Mascarin thinks they would apply because they may benefit or disadvantage Sifton down the line.

And how about bus rapid transit, the opposition to which is at the centre of Paolatto’s platform? Would Sifton properties exclude him from voting on specific routes – like the downtown couplet on King and Queens – or the entire plan?