The Ontario NDP has asked the province’s integrity commissioner to launch an investigation into whether fundraising targets, given to ministers in Premier Doug Ford’s cabinet by the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, violate ethics rules governing elected officials.
The request comes in the wake new revelations that an industry association encouraged members to spend thousands of dollars on a fundraiser featuring the premier, in an effort to push for policy changes – an act that the NDP claims is a clear sign of cash-for-access practices.
The Ford government has maintained that it had no knowledge of an effort to coordinate donations and consistently rebuffed allegations that the minister’s targets amounted to anything more than normal party fundraising.
On Monday, Global News revealed that cabinet ministers were given a directive from the chair of the Ontario PC fund which outlined specific fundraising targets to be accomplished by the end of the year.
“Hello cabinet ministers … I want to reiterate the importance that we need to be ready and fully funded for the next campaign,” the email from Tony Miele said.
“We need your help in organizing a minimum of 2 – 5 fundraisers each by the end of the year,” Miele said. “These events can be small breakfast events, lunch events or larger reception style dinner events.”
The Ford government said the email, which was sent to the ministers’ chiefs of staff, was sent in error and was immediately recalled by the party.
On Wednesday, Global News revealed that the Ontario Trucking Association instructed its members to purchase 50 to 60 tickets to an upcoming fundraiser featuring Premier Ford and Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria.
“I am imploring all of you to attend and raise our concerns with the minister directly,” the association president told members. “This is the only way to win this battle.”
The industry group also encouraged members who purchased tickets to the PC Party fundraiser to alert the association “so that we can tally up what our association has raised and present to the minister.”
The transportation minister’s office said it had “no involvement,” while the trucking association said it “did not speak to anyone in government about this event.”
In her submission to the integrity commissioner asking for a formal investigation, NDP Leader Marit Stiles objected not to the fundraising itself, but to perceived cash-for-access events.
“In a democracy, no one should feel they must donate to a cabinet minister in order for that cabinet minister to be willing to hear their concerns,” Stiles wrote. “And certainly no one should be directed to make such a donation.”
Stiles asked the integrity commissioner to look into whether Miele’s email or the PC Party “played any role in creating the belief that this lobby group (Ontario Trucking Association) needed to fundraise for the minister … in order to lobby him effectively.”
Stiles also asked the integrity commissioner to provide an opinion on whether the upcoming fundraiser — which the trucking association encouraged members to attend — “did or would put a public office holder in a real or potential conflict of interest”
Stiles asked whether the actions of the trucking association contravene the Lobbyists Registration Act and whether cabinet ministers violated the Members’ Integrity Act, the Public Service of Ontario Act or parliamentary convention.
Global News reached out to the integrity commissioner, but did not receive a response in time for publication.