NDP asks Yasir Naqvi to oust Gerry Lougheed as GSPS board chair
Lougheed one of two Liberal officials the OPP are investigating in a corruption probe
Lougheed is one of two Liberal officials the provincial police are investigating in a corruption probe.
The Liberals' Sudbury candidate in the June general election alleges Lougheed and Premier Kathleen Wynne's deputy chief of staff offered him a job or appointment in exchange for stepping aside for last week's byelection.
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The Greater Sudbury Police Services Board voted Wednesday not to remove Lougheed as the head of the board. The matter was on the board's agenda as four unidentified members of the public asked that Lougheed be removed from his position as chair.
“As you are aware prominent Liberal Party organizer Mr. Gerry Lougheed Jr. is currently under investigation by the OPP and Elections Ontario for attempting to bribe Mr. Andrew Olivier with an ‘appointment or job’ in exchange for his withdrawal from the Liberal nomination race in the Sudbury byelection,” Bisson wrote in a letter to Yasir Naqvi.
“Given the seriousness of these investigations, I am calling on you to remove Mr. Lougheed as Board Chair of the Greater Sudbury Police Services (GSPS) pending the outcome of these investigations. As Minister responsible for oversight of the police services board, it’s imperative that you maintain the integrity of all police services boards, including that of the GSPS.”
Bisson noted “there is ample precedent when someone is under criminal investigation to step aside from their duties until the investigation is complete. It’s unprecedented that the chair of a police services board, who is on the public payroll, under criminal investigation, remains as the head of the police services board. This type of arrogance profoundly undermines the GSPS and the public’s confidence in our police services.”
See a copy of the letter below:
with files from The Canadian Press