

Allison Jones, The Canadian Press





TORONTO -- Ontario's Opposition is accusing the Liberals of continuing to fundraise in secret even after the premier instituted a rule that her caucus members must advertise such events.

The Liberals proposed election finance reforms amid criticism over fundraising events that saw cabinet ministers attend private, high-priced functions with stakeholders.

The bill is still before the legislature, but in the meantime Premier Kathleen Wynne has ordered the Liberals to stop attending private fundraisers -- they define the events as public if they are posted on the Liberal party website.

But Progressive Conservative Todd Smith noted in question period Tuesday that a $700-per-ticket fundraiser with Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault and Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca on Oct. 5 wasn't posted online.

"What is the premier going to do about ministers violating her phoney rules about fundraising from stakeholders and keeping those meetings secret from the public?" Smith asked.

Thibeault said that fundraisers are in line with the premier's rule as long as they're posted before the event happens, so this fundraiser -- branded Northern Grit -- was not "secret" because it was posted soon after Smith's question.

"I'd like to thank the member for the advertisement for my fundraiser," Thibeault told the legislature.

But the premier appeared surprised by Smith's question, turning to Thibeault and giving him a puzzled look.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said "there are no rules when it comes to Liberals and fundraising."

"We're in this kind of quagmire that we're in because of the unseemly behaviours of Liberal cabinet minister and the Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne around fundraising," she said.

The Liberals have said they'll introduce an amendment after second reading to ban not only MPPs, but also candidates, party leaders, nomination contestants and leadership contestants from fundraising. After opposition politicians said it still amounts to cash for access if senior government decision makers such as chiefs of staff are allowed to attend fundraising events, the attorney general said he has not ruled out extending the ban to chiefs of staff.

The legislation also proposes to ban corporate and union donations, and a per-vote subsidy for parties to offset the impacts on parties.