Ontario NDP, Liberals raise concerns amid auditor general Greenbelt report

It has been a week since the auditor general’s report was released finding the province’s process for choosing which protected Greenbelt lands were opened up for development was biased.

The Liberals held a press conference where they questioned why no one in Ford’s government had been fired over this, while the NDP asked the integrity commissioner to expand its probe into the Greenbelt development plan to include Premier Doug Ford’s use of his personal cellphone.

The press conference marks one week since the damning auditor general report. Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser says the Ford government needs to be held accountable.

“There is mounting evidence that something happened here that broke the public trust and that should be of interest to the OPP, could be of interest to the RCMP,” Fraser said.

READ MORE: Auditor General finds Ontario government’s Greenbelt plan favoured certain developers

NDP Leader Marit Stiles is also on the offensive against Ford today, regarding a report from Global News saying he didn’t use his government-issued cellphone during a week in November.

In a letter to the integrity commissioner today Stiles writes the report is, “raising concerns that he is using a personal phone intentionally to avoid accountability through the freedom of information process.”

Stiles also references last week’s auditor general report which found staff in the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing were using personal email accounts for government business, and regularly deleting emails.

“These facts demonstrate the government’s pervasive disregard for transparency and proper record-keeping practices,” said Stiles.

“What we are trying to do on behalf of all Ontarians is make this government be accountable.” MPP Sandy Shaw said.

When asked about the Premier’s personal cell phone, Ford’s office told CHCH, “We comply with all rules and regulations as set out in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.”

READ MORE: Local groups, officials react to auditor general’s Greenbelt report

Political analyst and former Queens Park correspondent Keith Leslie says deleting records has proved costly for former provincial governments.

“Dalton McGuinty, the former premier’s chief of staff went to jail for four months because of wiping government hard drives of information,” said Leslie.

Leslie said don’t expect the opposition to let go of the report.

“This is serious PR trouble for the Ford government and whether they can come back from it without at least revisiting this decision to reopen these lands, I don’t think it’s possible, they have to go back to that 15th recommendation and actually follow it,” Leslie.

That 15th recommendation is to revisit the decision to open up the lands and possibly reverse it. It is the only recommendation the Ford government has said it will not follow.

CHCH News asked the premier’s office for a response to Fraser’s suggestion that the OPP and RCMP should be concerned by what he calls a breach of the public trust, but have not heard back yet.