Ontario opposition leader Marit Stiles has called for consideration of whether Prime Minister Doug Ford acted inappropriately in relation to two recent family events that some developers and lobbyists were invited to attend. , has asked the State Integrity Commissioner.
In a letter sent to Integrity Commissioner David Wake on Thursday, Stiles said, “Developers and lobbyists with political ties to Prime Minister Doug Ford will be invited to two Ford family events. Details have been revealed about what is going on,” he said.
She said the prime minister “has a duty to avoid conflict and the appearance of conflict.”
The first event was a ‘Stag and Doe’ family fundraiser for the prime minister’s daughter. The Aug. 11 event was held at the Prime Minister’s home, reportedly costing him $150 per ticket, and called on attendees to donate his $1,000 for the wedding. rice field.
In his letter, Stiles cited reports that developers and lobbyists who attended the event found buying tickets “intimidating.”
Stiles went on to say that several developers who attended the actual wedding received favorable ministry zoning orders, with at least one benefiting from recent policy changes regarding greenbelts. I was.
“I am concerned that the invitees feel pressured to contribute to the prime minister’s family fundraiser. Instead, they felt wanted as a government stakeholder and feared the impact on their professional reputation and jobs. relationship with the government,” Stiles writes.
She said she has asked the Integrity Commissioner to investigate whether the prime minister has violated any section of the Member Integrity Act.
NDP leader Marit Stiles has asked the Ontario Integrity Commissioner to provide an opinion on whether Prime Minister Doug Ford’s actions over his daughter’s stag case were inappropriate. (THE CANADIAN PRESS / Alex Lupul and Tijana Martin)
The prime minister has previously said he consulted the integrity commissioner on the stag and doe events. The Integrity Commissioner’s office said, based on information received, Ford was unaware of the gifts given to his daughter and son-in-law and there was no discussion of government business at the event.
Stiles continued to ask questions about events in government during Thursday’s questioning period, saying Ontarians “deserve a government they can trust.”
The prime minister did not attend. On his behalf, Government House leader Paul Calandra dismissed Styles’ concerns as a “drive-by smear.”
In a separate letter Thursday, the government watchdog group Democracy Watch asked the Integrity Commissioner to investigate whether Ford violated rules at a family event.
Using files from The Canadian Press
