This Premier has said they have: “The most ethical, most transparent and most accountable caucus” he’s ever seen. Well, that was before a damning Auditor General’s report that highlighted a pattern of preferential treatment and deleted emails, that was before a minister broke ethics laws twice—and let’s not forget the fact that this government is currently under an RCMP criminal investigation for its dirty deals.

Speaker, my question is for the Premier: Would the Premier like to take the opportunity to correct the record?

Interjections.

Speaker, this question is for the Premier. The NDP has found that the Premier has issued as many fast-track minister’s zoning orders benefiting just the guests alone at the Ford family wedding reception as the previous government issued during its entire 15 years in power—18 MZOs.

Speaker, my question is for the Premier: Why is the Premier’s government handing out MZOs to his friends like party favours?

To the Premier: Did Mr. Rehmatullah get these MZOs because he is the Premier’s friend?

To the Premier: Did the government give preferential treatment to the Cortellucci family, Mr. Nigro or any of the other guests at the reception?

I move that, whereas the Auditor General and the Integrity Commissioner have found significant irregularities in the processes leading to this government’s removal of lands from the greenbelt; and

Whereas the investigations by these independent officers have raised serious questions that demand further inquiry; and

Whereas the witnesses who refused to co-operate with the Auditor General’s investigation must be compelled to provide their evidence; and

Whereas members of this government have previously advocated for the use of select committees to investigate misconduct, including the Liberal government’s gas plant cancellations;

Therefore, the Legislative Assembly calls on the government to form a select committee on changes to the greenbelt to ensure full transparency and accountability.

I move that, whereas the Auditor General and the Integrity Commissioner found that the government’s decision to remove lands from the greenbelt gave preferential treatment to certain private interests; and

Whereas the reports of these independent officers call into question this government’s decision-making on other ongoing transactions, including Highway 413, urban boundary expansions, Ontario Place, health care privatization and stalled transit projects; and

Whereas the witnesses who refused to co-operate with the Auditor General’s investigation must be compelled to provide their evidence; and

Whereas members of this government have previously advocated for the use of select committees to investigate misconduct, including the gas plant cancellations;

Therefore, the Legislative Assembly calls on the government to appoint a select committee on changes to the greenbelt to ensure full transparency and accountability.

I seek unanimous consent for the House to authorize the Speaker to issue a warrant to command and compel Silvio De Gasperis and Michael Rice to appear before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts within 30 days regarding the Office of the Auditor General’s Special Report on Changes to the Greenbelt.

Speaker, to the Premier: When did he first find out that his minister was living it up in Vegas with people who have business before his government?

I can’t blame the Premier or the House leader for having some difficulty with the dates, because they’ve changed a few times since these individuals were first interviewed, under oath, by the Integrity Commissioner.

The former minister, Mr. Massoudi and Mr. Truesdell all suspiciously told the Integrity Commissioner that their trip was in 2019, when it actually occurred months later. The greenbelt speculator Shakir Rehmatullah, someone this Premier knows very well, was at the same hotel on both set of dates. The minister said he was only in Vegas once since being elected; he has now admitted it was twice. That’s three different people giving the wrong date for the same trip.

So, my question, again, to the Premier: Can the Premier explain how three different people could mistakenly give the wrong date for the same trip?

Speaker, there is not a shred of evidence that this is going to build a single affordable home, but there’s plenty of evidence to suggest that these wealthy PC donors made a very careful bet against our greenbelt despite the Premier’s promises never to touch it.

I have written to the Auditor General to ask for an investigation, but the government could clear the air right now. Will the minister and the Premier launch an independent investigation into suspicious sales of greenbelt lands and make the findings public?