Accountability Needed in Premier’s Office After OPP Charges Against Liberal Operatives

QUEEN’S PARK – Today, the Ontario Provincial Police announced they have laid breach of trust and mischief charges against David Livingston, former Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty’s Chief of Staff, and Laura Miller, former Deputy Chief of Staff, following the completion of an almost two year investigation.

“It’s a disgrace that in the past three years there have been serious allegations levied against several high-ranking officials in the Government of Ontario,” said Patrick Brown, Leader of the Official Opposition.  “Now the OPP has confirmed that the actions of prominent Liberal operative Gerry Lougheed Jr., and Premier McGuinty’s Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff warrant criminal charges.  How many key decision-makers in the Liberal Party need to be charged before the Premier will take responsibility?”  

Livingston and Miller are being charged in connection with the destruction of emails related to the cancellation of the two gas fired power plants leading up to the transition period to the Wynne administration in early 2013.

“Government officials must uphold the integrity, transparency and lawfulness their positions require, and Ontarians deserve,” Leader Patrick Brown added. “Premier Wynne campaigned on accountability and transparency, and Ontarians thought she would be different.  I don’t know what Kathleen Wynne can do to restore credibility to the Office of the Premier now that the OPP has laid charges against top Liberal operatives.”

Leader Patrick Brown concluded, “We need to remember that this is not the end of the OPP investigations into the Premier’s Office.  Pat Sorbara, Premier Wynne’s Deputy Chief of Staff is still the subject of an OPP investigation of alleged breach of the Elections Act in relation to the Sudbury by-election scandal.”