Ford battled reporters Wednesday defending his daughter’s stag-and-doe event and addressed questions about the event, specifically regarding why Greenbelt developers were in attendance.
The event took place last summer, but wasn’t investigated by the Integrity Commissioner until January.
These investigations focus on the acceptance of gifts or personal benefits that is connected directly or indirectly with the performance of an MPP’s duties.
Mike Schreiner, Ontario’s Green Party leader, said these same developers are directly benefiting from key Greenbelt land deals.
“This whole issue around these key Greenbelt land deals don’t pass the smell test,” Schreiner said. “It just undermines trust in the government and I think the premier needs to be held accountable for that.”
Ford called these allegations “absolutely ridiculous.”
“No one can influence the Fords,” Ford said. “No one.”
Schreiner said the premier and his housing minister have promised not to open the Greenbelt for development 18 times since 2018.
Contrary to those statements, Ford is now opening up 7,400 acres of Greenbelt land for development.
“It just raises significant questions about why land speculators would buy this land if it was not going to be available for development,” Schreiner said. “Unless they had some sort of inside information that that land would be available at some time.”
Schreiner made it clear that insider information has yet to be proven or documented at this point, but said this raises significant unanswered concerns.
That’s why he wrote to the Integrity Commissioner and Auditor General asking them to look into key Greenbelt land deals.
In a statement, the Integrity Commissioner’s Office explained the nature of these requests.
“It is important to note that a section 28 opinion is not a finding or the result of an investigation into a matter,” the statement said. “When a request for an opinion is made by an MPP, the Commissioner will assess the situation using the information made available by the member to determine if a section or sections of the Members’ Integrity Act applies.”
The premier and his office staff provided information to the Integrity Commissioner in late January, in response to a media inquiry about developers’ attendance at Ford’s daughters’ wedding and stag-and-doe party.
“The information provided to the Commissioner was that these guests, identified as developers in the media inquiry, are friends of the Ford family, and in some cases have been for decades,” the Integrity Commissioner’s office said.
“Based on the information provided to the Commissioner about the events, the Commissioner was of the opinion that there was nothing to indicate non-compliance with the Members’ Integrity Act,” it said.
Schreiner said most members seek guidance from the Integrity Commissioner’s advice prior to the event.
“The premier did go to the Integrity Commissioner well after the events had already taken place and only after there was starting to be media and rumours floating around,” Schreiner said. “
It just raises some additional questions about why the premier didn’t approach the integrity commissioner prior to these events,” he said.
Conservative MPP Christine Hogarth was questioned on the subject, but refused to comment.
NDP leader Marit Stiles wrote the original investigative request regarding the Greenbelt plans to the Integrity Commissioner. She alleged Ford’s close relationship with developers in a statement.
She said Ford crossed the line and she will work rigorously to get to the bottom of these new revelations.
“Ontarians deserve not just answers about Ford’s conduct, but a government with integrity that always puts their interests first,” Stiles said. “I am committed to making sure that they get both.”
Stiles said she will submit another complaint with the Integrity Commissioner to ensure the facts are being considered comprehensively.
Specifically, she has questions about the event’s fundraising.
Attendees paid $150 per ticket, and media reports have suggested guests were asked to provide gifts up to $1,000.
But Ford said “the boys took care of” the event’s fundraising.
In a statement, Stiles said these new revelations are raising further questions about who has access to and an influence on the premier.
She said Ford owes transparency to Ontarians, and should “put their interests over those of the highest bidder.”
But Ford defended his family’s privacy, and said the place was packed.
“My daughter is a private citizen, I don’t know what you don’t understand,” Ford said. “We’ve known tens of thousands of people over the years, and I don’t sit there with a checklist as they’re coming through the door,” Ford said.
Schreiner said the first step to restoring Ontario’s trust would be for the premier to backtrack on opening the Greenbelt for development.
“I just think the best way for the premier to clear the air on this is to repeal Bill 23 and keep his promise not to open the Greenbelt for development,” he said.