Stiles: Ontarians are owed transparency, accountability following Greenbelt corruption

QUEEN’S PARK – Official Opposition NDP Leader Marit Stiles will be calling to issue a Speaker’s Warrant to require public testimony from the two Ford-connected developers who were set to make the highest financial gain from the Conservatives’ $8.3 billion cash-for-access Greenbelt grab.

If passed, the Warrant would compel Silvio de Gasperis and Michael Rice to appear in front of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and provide transparency on what happened behind-the-scenes as the Ford government rushed to open up Greenbelt lands. Neither participated in the Auditor General’s investigation on the Greenbelt Grab.

“Every member of the Legislature owes Ontarians some transparency about what happened before and after this government rushed to open up Greenbelt lands for wealthy land speculators,” said Stiles. Stiles and the Ontario NDP presented Ford’s Conservatives with the opportunity to move forward and restore the Greenbelt lands yesterday with legislation which was shot down by government members during First Reading.

“People are still looking for answers. The Premier may have apologized, but that doesn’t change the fact that this government gave preferential treatment to benefit their insiders -- to the tune of billions.

Yesterday, the Premier said 'no’ to legislation to restore to the Greenbelt. Today, he has another opportunity to do the right thing. We have had enough obfuscation from the Premier and his new Housing Minister, now it’s time for answers.”