TORONTO — Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles is asking the province's integrity commissioner to consider within his Greenbelt investigation the premier and government staffers' reported use of personal phones and emails.
Stiles' request comes in the wake of last week's scathing auditor general's report into the government's decision to open up protected Greenbelt lands to housing development.
Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk found that the process of selecting the 15 specific sites was not transparent, with all but one suggested by Housing Minister Steve Clark's chief of staff, who was given packages at an industry event by two key developers.
Lysyk also found that political staff received emails from lobbyists on their personal accounts, sometimes forwarded emails from their government accounts to personal ones, contrary to public service guidelines, and were regularly deleting emails, contrary to the rules.
Stiles is also asking the integrity commissioner to be aware of a Global News report that suggests Premier Doug Ford is using his personal cellphone for government business.
The integrity commissioner's Greenbelt ethics investigation is into Clark, not Ford, but Stiles says communications between Ford and Clark are relevant so she wants to ensure any relevant records on Ford's personal phone are disclosed.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16, 2023.
The Canadian Press
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this will test the actual
this will test the actual independence of the Integrity commissioner ( dont hold your breath) and I predict further erode trust and boost disgust at government corruption
. Ford gov has been shady since before elected in 2018. no one should be shocked, disgusted furious yes, but they are doing exactly what they looked like they would do before they were elected
( with mass media blessing and cheerleading )
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