Greenbelt scandal fallout: Ontario government faces scrutiny amidst calls for accountability

The fallout from the Greenbelt scandal continues on Friday after two scathing reports from the province’s auditor general and the integrity commissioner.

Despite calls for Ontario’s housing minister to step down, Premier Doug Ford is ignoring them, and the Ontario government is facing criticism for their advertising campaign that celebrates more homes being built.

The ad shows that Ontario is building 1.5 million new homes. What it’s not showing is how much those homes cost, or whether or not they are being built on land that is part of the Greenbelt controversy, once-protected land sold to developers poised to make billions.

“It certainly looks as though this government is using public money for a flashy advertising blitz, to distract from the fact that they are under investigation for corruption,” said Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles.

Stiles is demanding accountability and transparency.

“They broke the rules, and a few very wealthy people with connections to the conservative party and the premier made billions off these land swaps,” said Stiles.

In two separate news conferences on Thursday, both Premier Ford and Minister Clark confirmed they are not returning Greenbelt land and no one is stepping down. But they can’t escape the criticism stemming from the auditor general’s Greenbelt report.

“It’s not acceptable that they refuse to share phone records of the premier and his office, and their staff, or emails, and we know from the auditor generals report that emails were deleted,” said Stiles.

Ann Cavoukian, former Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, is concerned about the lack of information and agrees there should be a thorough investigation by the freedom of information and privacy commissioner of Ontario.

“Our job is to insist upon revealing what information the public has a right to know, that is why we have freedom of information, so that government held information can be made available to the public,” said Cavoukian.

“I just want to urge people to know your rights. In Canada and in Ontario, we have very strong freedom of information and privacy rights. Let’s make sure they are implemented.”

Meanwhile, looming in the background is a decision from the RCMP on whether or not to proceed with a full investigation.

READ MORE: Ontario housing minister apologizes but refuses to step down after Greenbelt report