CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS WILL FIGHT FOR A HIGHER
STANDARD OF INTEGRITY
Toronto - Bob Runciman, Official
Opposition House Leader, announced that the
Conservative Opposition will use every available
option to ensure that the government is held
to account over the lack of ethical standards
being followed by Premier McGuinty and members
of his cabinet with regards to the Sorbara Affair.
“The Official Opposition worked with
the government in the last session to ensure
we had meaningful debate on the issues that
matter most to Ontarians,” said Runciman.
“We cannot, in good conscience, cooperate
with a Liberal government that refuses to live
up to basic ethical standards,” he continued.
In Premier McGuinty’s first Speech from
the Throne, he spoke at length about the need
to “bring an open, honest and transparent
approach to government”, and made the
following statement as part of the Speech: “Your
new government understands it can only hold
others to a higher standard if it subjects itself
to the same standard”.
Fundamental questions around the Sorbara Affair
remain unanswered. Premier McGuinty promised
a new higher standard, but in his first test,
he has failed to live up to that promise.
“I know from personal experience how
difficult a choice it is to step aside from
cabinet, but it is a choice that must be made
to protect the integrity of government and the
legislature,” Runciman said. “I
am troubled by the obvious lack of standards
both the Premier and Minister of Finance have
followed in this case,” Runciman continued.
On behalf of the Official Opposition, Runciman
will be tabling a want of confidence motion
with the Clerk of the Legislature expressing
the lack of confidence the Official Opposition
has in the ethical standards being used by the
McGuinty Liberal government.
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Media Contact:
Bob Runciman
(416) 325-1522
