TORONTO – Now that the Greenbelt “deal” is over, let’s clarify things once and for all: how did things really go? This is requested by NDP opposition leader Marit Stiles, who is calling for the issuance of a “Speaker’s Warrant” to require public testimony from the two builders “connected” to Doug Ford, who were supposed to obtain the maximum financial gain from the construction in the “green belt”. A deal worth 8.3 billion dollars in total.
If passed, Stiles’ request “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”, NDP says.
“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. Government members have vowed to pass similar legislation soon to confirm Ford’s decision to backtrack on the Greenbelt.
“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 – Stiles said – , now it’s time for answers.”
In the pic above, Marit Stiles (from her Twitter / X profile – @MaritStiles)
