By Staff
January 3rd, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
The New Democrats, serve as the Official Opposition at Queen’s Park. They have been on top of the Greenbelt land mess from day 1.
Marat Stiles letting the Premier know that she has his number.
It was their initiative that resulted in a report from the then Auditor Bonnie Lysak that laid out a sad story and eventually resulted in the provincial government accepting the resignation of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing after the Integrity Commissioner found all kinds of problems. Leader of the Opposition Marat Stiles would rise in the Legislature, point her finger at the Premier again and again.
The RCMP are currently investigating who knew what when and who whispered in whose ear.
In the meantime the New Democrats keeping finding new bones.
 Ford has claimed he isn’t ‘immediately familiar’ with Manchia, despite the Integrity Commissioner’s report revealing six meetings between the pair. Newly obtained emails show that in 2021, Ford’s then-chief of staff said he would “check with officials” about removing lands from the Greenbelt.The Premier and his government have said repeatedly that Ford was first briefed on the Greenbelt plan in November 2022, but these latest emails make it even more clear that Ford’s inner circle were discussing these plans years in advance – and kept them quiet when Ford ran for re-election. Marit Stiles and the Ontario NDP have repeatedly asked Ford about these discrepancies in testimony and timelines – and Ford’s Conservatives have continued to duck accountability.
“When exactly did Ford know about the Greenbelt plan – and why can’t he just come clean with it?” asked MPP Sandy Shaw (Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas), Official Opposition NDP critic for Environment, Conservation, and Parks. “With the Greenbelt scandal, it seems like all roads keep leading back to the Premier’s office. And while he keeps trying to cover his tracks, we keep falling further behind on our housing targets when we desperately need affordable places to live.”
 Sergio Manchia and Darko Vranich both admit to giving more money to local election candidates than allowed under the law, but they argue the violations were honest mistakes. “Hopefully Ford can get his story straight when the RCMP come to call.”
Background
-
These new emails reveal even more correspondence between Ford’s senior staff and Sergio Manchia’s staff, a prominent Hamilton developer
-
Ford has claimed he isn’t ‘immediately familiar’ with Manchia, despite the Integrity Commissioner’s report revealing six meetings between the pair.
|
|
|
