Ontario integrity commissioner to investigate David Piccini over skills fund

Siobhan Morris tells CP24 that both the NDP and Liberal Parties have filed for the Ontario integrity commissioner to investigate MPP David Piccini.

Ontario’s integrity commissioner has agreed to look into a complaint against Labour Minister David Piccini over the troubled Skills Development Fund.

Integrity Commissioner Cathryn Motherwell confirmed Thursday evening that she plans to look into the complaint, which was brought by both the Liberals and the NDP.

While each party filed a separate complaint, Motherwell said she plans to deal with them together.

The complaints asked the integrity commissioner to look into whether Piccini had violated Ontario parliamentary convention and the Members’ Integrity Act in the selection of applicants to proceed to the final selection rounds for funding from the Skills Development Fund.

“This is an important first step to getting to the bottom of the rot within the fund,” Liberal ethics critic Stephanie Smyth said in a statement.

She called the government’s handling of the fund part of a “pattern of pay-to-play.”

Ontario’s auditor general previously found that the selection of applicants to the $2.5 billion fund -- set up to help train workers for in-demand professions – was not fair, transparent or accountable.

The auditor found about $750 million in Skills Development Fund grants were handed out by political staff, overriding the advice of non-partisan staff.

In a statement Thursday evening, Piccini’s office said they are cooperating with the investigation.

“We are continuing to assist the Integrity Commissioner with her work on this file,” the statement read.

“The Skills Development Fund has so-far trained nearly 700,000 people for good-paying careers in sectors such as manufacturing, skilled trades and health care, and helped more than 100,000 people find good-paying jobs within 60 days of completing the program.”

For months, opposition parties have been calling on Premier Doug Ford to fire Piccini over the scandal. NDP Leader Marit Stiles went so far as to call the government “corrupt” over its handling of the fund, earning her an ejection from the legislature for unparliamentary language.

But Ford has so far refused, defending Piccini and saying the fund has helped workers.

Smyth said Thursday Piccini should at least step aside while the investigation is underway.

With files Jon Woodward and Siobhan Morris