TORONTO

Premier Kathleen Wynne faced calls for her to step aside Thursday as OPP laid charges in the Sudbury byelection bribery case.

“Now, it’s more than allegations — charges have been laid,” Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown said. “I asked today in question period will the premier step aside during this process.

“I hope the government will do the right thing given the fact the OPP has laid charges ... allegedly what has happened has been criminal. Gerry Lougheed wasn’t freelancing here,” Brown said outside the legislature.

Lougheed, 61, a prominent member of the Sudbury community and a long-time Liberal organizer and fund raiser, faces Criminal Code charges of counselling an offence not committed and unlawfully influencing or negotiating appointments.

The charges flow from an Ontario Provincial Police investigation into allegations made by Andrew Olivier that he was offered a government job or appointment to abandon a run for the Sudbury Liberal nomination in the Feb. 5 byelection.

Lougheed resigned his positions with the Sudbury police services board and Huntington University, but said in a statement that he intends to vigorously defend himself against the charges.

“I have no further comments at this time as this matter is now before the courts,” Lougheed said.

Olivier received phone calls from Lougheed, Wynne’s deputy chief of staff Pat Sorbara and the premier, and provided OPP investigators with recordings he made of the Lougheed and Sorbara conversations.

Although Sorbara was investigated she was not charged, and Wynne was never alleged to have offered a bribe.

Wynne told reporters Thursday that she couldn’t comment on the matter because it was before the courts, but acknowledged it was upsetting.

“I’ve never believed that my staff did anything wrong. And Pat Sorbara has been informed this morning that there will be no charges laid against her,” Wynne said. “Of course, it’s a serious situation. We’ve taken it seriously.”

During a raucous question period Thursday, opposition parties demanded to know what the premier knew about the matter and said Sorbara should be removed from her position in the premier’s office.

“As long as you don’t get arrested you can work in the premier’s office,” PC MPP Todd Smith said, suggesting there was a need for higher standards.

Deputy Premier Deb Matthews said the police have done their job and she expressed happiness that no charges were laid against Sorbara.

“He was acting as an individual,” Matthews said of the Liberal organizer. “And the police in their investigation looked at a range of issues around responsibility and they’ve concluded that he ought to be charged and he has been charged.”

MPP Glenn Thibeault — Wynne’s preferred candidate in Sudbury and a former NDP MP — said this development will not impact his ability to represent his constituents.

antonella.artuso@sunmedia.ca





