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The email exchanges between Mr. Clement and Mr. Doughty also raise questions about the involvement of officials from the Prime Minister’s Office in approving the unorthodox project-selection process.

In a July 2008 email, Mr. Clement tells Mr. Doughty that he has spoken to other area mayors about including them in the project-selection process.

“I’ve also initiated discussion with PMO on next steps in Ottawa,” he writes.

The email exchanges show he was pushing the PMO to keep Huntsville from losing funding for a media centre to look after the requirements of thousands of foreign journalists expected to cover the event the G8 leaders’ visit.

In December 2009, the government announced that it would hold the bigger G20 summit in Toronto, not Muskoka, so the international journalists never made the trip to cottage country, and the $16.7-million for the media centre was instead used for a new Olympic-sized rink in Huntsville.

In several emails, Mr. Clement refers to his efforts to keep the project alive with the PMO’s help.

Julian Fantino, at that time the commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police, was opposed to the media centre in the high-security summit zone, which angered Mr. Doughty and Mr. Clement.

On Feb. 10, 2009, Mr. Doughty emailed Mr. Clement to complain that a local reporter had found out about a phone call from Mr. Fantino. “I appreciate your effort,” Mr. Clement replied. “We’re in this together. The good news: PMO’s fury at the OPP is only increasing.” In October 2010, Prime Minister Stephen Harper convinced Mr. Fantino to run in a by-election for the Conservatives and he now serves as associate defence minister.

The day after the summit, Mr. Doughty emails Mr. Clement to thank him for all he did for the community, and to complain about a New York Times article that suggested many of the beautification projects appeared to be done for the political benefit of Mr. Clement, who won the riding in 2006 by just 28 votes.

“I am still pissed off with the Ian Austin article,” Mr. Doughty writes.