Deputy Chief Electoral Officer: Loren A. Wells
CC: Premier Kathleen Wynne, NDP leader Andrea Horwath, Interim PC leader Jim Wilson.
I, as many other people in the province of Ontario, am deeply disturbed by the news there are allegations of bribery thought to have taken place regarding the Ontario Liberal Party and it's appointment of former NDP MP Glenn Thibault as the Liberal candidate and subsequent winner in the ensuing vote. While news of this was troubling, that intensified when it was reported that you have in fact information to believe laws were broken, and that you have in fact sent the file to a federal prosecutor for investigation and the laying of charges against those involved.
I would like to bring your attention to comments made by the Premier of Ontario on February 19th, 2015 during a media scrum that was televised on most local networks, During that question and answer session the premier fielded questions about the investigation, and stated that members of the opposition parties had approached her with an offer of resigning their seat as a sitting MPP in exchange for a government appointment that would result in a job position. Whether this statement was true in fact or just an attempt by the Premier to deflect away from possible charges and a new scandal involving her government emerging remains to be seen. In another televised interview on February 22th, the Premier again made these same allegations. I request that you or those acting on your behalf investigate the televised statement made by the Premier, which in and of itself appears to show that violations involving both electoral and criminal law may have been breached.
As the Premier of Ontario, the highest office held in this province, it is incumbent for the sitting Premier to address these statements made immediately upon request by your office. The Premier's statements have cast a dark cloud on the legislature, and by extension, the credibility and integrity of both the governing Ontario Liberal's and the entire political process.
Yours Truly
Paul Burling
I, as many other people in the province of Ontario, am deeply disturbed by the news there are allegations of bribery thought to have taken place regarding the Ontario Liberal Party and it's appointment of former NDP MP Glenn Thibault as the Liberal candidate and subsequent winner in the ensuing vote. While news of this was troubling, that intensified when it was reported that you have in fact information to believe laws were broken, and that you have in fact sent the file to a federal prosecutor for investigation and the laying of charges against those involved.
I would like to bring your attention to comments made by the Premier of Ontario on February 19th, 2015 during a media scrum that was televised on most local networks, During that question and answer session the premier fielded questions about the investigation, and stated that members of the opposition parties had approached her with an offer of resigning their seat as a sitting MPP in exchange for a government appointment that would result in a job position. Whether this statement was true in fact or just an attempt by the Premier to deflect away from possible charges and a new scandal involving her government emerging remains to be seen. In another televised interview on February 22th, the Premier again made these same allegations. I request that you or those acting on your behalf investigate the televised statement made by the Premier, which in and of itself appears to show that violations involving both electoral and criminal law may have been breached.
As the Premier of Ontario, the highest office held in this province, it is incumbent for the sitting Premier to address these statements made immediately upon request by your office. The Premier's statements have cast a dark cloud on the legislature, and by extension, the credibility and integrity of both the governing Ontario Liberal's and the entire political process.
Yours Truly
Paul Burling
Excellent letter and one that deserves to be written and followed up on. One can only hope your letter will be taken seriously as so many in Ontario can only agree with you wholeheartedly.
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