Ontario’s integrity commissioner has confirmed she will launch an investigation into Labour Minister David Piccini over his handling of the controversial skills development fund.
The integrity commissioner wrote to both the Ontario NDP and Liberals to accept their requests for an investigation into Piccini and determine whether he “contravened sections of the (Members’ Integrity) Act in relation to the application and selection process of the Skills Development Fund Training Stream.”
Piccini has faced questions over the controversial fund for months after the auditor general found the manner in which it had been handled was not “fair, transparent or accountable.”
The same investigation pointed out that companies which hired lobbyists had been able to secure funding despite having low or medium-scoring applications.
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The majority of applications which received funding received low or medium scores, while hundreds of high-scoring applications were rejected.
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Ontario Liberal MPP Stephanie Smyth said the investigation was “an important step” in investigating the fund.
“The premier and his government are using the Skills Development Fund to reward well-connected insiders, donors, and lobbyists,” she alleged. “This pattern of pay-to-play cannot continue.”
NDP Leader Marit Stiles said Piccini had failed to answers questions about the fund.
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“For seven weeks, we gave Ford’s Minister of Labour the opportunity to come clean about his involvement in the Skills Development Fund,” she said in a statement. Instead of being honest with the people of Ontario, he deflected, threw excuses, and even had the Premier defend him.
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Piccini’s office said he would cooperate with the investigation and argued the skills development fund had been a success, leading to more people finding jobs.
“We are continuing to assist the Integrity Commissioner with her work on this file,” a spokesperson said.
The integrity commissioner has wide-ranging powers to conduct an investigation, including interviewing people under oath. During the Greenbelt scandal, the integrity commissioner’s report revealed major details of how the government worked to remove protected land for development.
“As required by the Act, a report will be filed with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario once the inquiry has been concluded,” the integrity commissioner’s office said in a statement.
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“It will also be published on the Office website.”
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