Attorney General Yasir Naqvi says provincial justice officials — not politicians — will determine whether federal prosecutors are needed to handle a Progressive Conservative imbroglio being investigated by police.

“Any criminal investigation of any kind is a very serious issue, especially (one) of the nature we’re discussing,” Naqvi told reporters Tuesday at Queen’s Park.

That was a reference to an ongoing Hamilton police probe of fraud and forgery allegations related to the disputed Tory nomination election last May.

“Decisions like these are made by the deputy attorney general and the assistant deputy attorney general (in charge of) criminal (matters),” the attorney general said, emphasizing elected officials cannot be involved.

“Of course, I am making it very clear to not engage my office or myself in any of those discussions, because it is the most prudent thing to do,” he said.

“We will let our officials then make those determinations. They also understand the seriousness of matters like these and, as in the past with previous cases, taking the appropriate action of referring the matter to the public prosecution service of Canada.”

Naqvi pointed to the precedent set when police have investigated other matters at Queen’s Park, including the Sudbury byelection affair that ended with two Liberal operatives being acquitted of all charges.

“Obviously any intersection with politics . . . I take that very, very seriously,” he said.

“Our past action speaks very clearly that, when we’ve seen a likelihood of criminal charges being laid, or, in fact, (when) charges were laid, we have taken immediate steps in making sure that the independent prosecution service . . . (of) the federal government is the one that is used, not our own prosecution service.”

Stressing “police operate separately” from government, Naqvi noted any criminal probe is also “independent of the Ministry of the Attorney General.”

But NDP House Leader Gilles Bisson said it is critical that another level of government be involved.

“How they go forward, with or without charges, I think can be influenced by who the prosecutor is,” said Bisson.

“If it’s a provincial or federal prosecutor may have some bearing on is there or isn’t there any charges. That’s why it’s important to follow the same precedent that we did in the other cases, so that everything is dealt with in the same way,” he said.

“Any time that you’re investigating a political official, it should never be done by the same branch of government.”

Hamilton police have said “no one has been ruled out” as a suspect in their investigation of unnamed Conservative officials related to the May 7 candidate election in Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas.

Vikram Singh, a Hamilton lawyer and runner-up in the four-contestant race, launched a civil action against the party, alleging “wrongful insertion of false ballots.”

In that suit, he named Tory Leader Patrick Brown, party president Rick Dykstra, PC executive director Bob Stanley and senior Brown aide Logan Bugeja.

The Tories deny any wrongdoing and the allegations have not been proved in court.

Singh also filed a complaint with Hamilton police. That criminal case is separate from the civil action.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Brown has said that his team has “offered full disclosure” to detectives, and this includes two banker’s boxes of documents, handed over on Oct. 27 by PC lawyers.

Police have said their investigation will continue into the New Year, which is significant as Ontario voters head to the polls on June 7.

Criminal fraud and forgery charges can carry stiff penalties; a conviction can lead to a prison sentence of up to 14 years.