Ontario PCs Want Justice To Be Done in Sudbury By-election Scandal

QUEEN’S PARK – Today, Deputy PC Leader Steve Clark, who originally asked the OPP to investigate the actions of Liberal Party operatives, Gerry Lougheed Jr. and Pat Sorbara, in the Sudbury by-election scandal, expressed concern at the news that the federal Crown will be seeking a stay of the corruption case against Gerry Lougheed, Jr.

People across Ontario were outraged when they heard the taped conversations from December 2014 between former Liberal candidate Andrew Olivier, Liberal Party fundraiser Gerry Lougheed Jr., and Pat Sorbara, Deputy Chief of Staff to Premier Wynne. On those tapes, Olivier was allegedly offered a publicly funded job or appointment in exchange for stepping down as the Liberal candidate. 

“Ontarians, and in particular the people of Sudbury, deserve to see justice done in this case.  It is curious that a decision would be made to suspend the corruption charges against Gerry Lougheed Jr. before, and not after, the OPP have completed their investigation against Mr. Lougheed and Pat Sorbara under the Election Act.  I believe that the public needs to be told that even if charges are laid under the Election Act and someone is convicted of those charges, the criminal trial against Lougheed could still go ahead,”said Clark.

The OPP have until February 2017 to complete their investigation into the apparent contraventions of the Election Act as detailed in the scathing report from February 2015 of Ontario’s Chief Electoral Officer into the Sudbury by-election. 

“The Liberals are currently facing the public’s anger at the way that the Premier and her cabinet raise money for the Ontario Liberal Party from the people who do business with them every day.  Gerry Lougheed Jr. is a key member of that Liberal fundraising machine.  This is why the Ontario PC Caucus is calling for a public inquiry into the Ontario Liberal Party’s fundraising activities.  If the Premier has nothing to hide, she would allow an inquiry to look into how Liberal operatives like Gerry Lougheed Jr. raise money for her Party,” Clark concluded.