Ontario’s integrity commissioner has cleared Patrick Brown of any wrongdoing following a complaint alleging the opposition leader proffered access to Queen’s Park in exchange for political donations.

In a report released Thursday, David Wake found “insufficient connection” linking Brown to a fundraising pamphlet distributed by the Ontario Progressive Conservative Fund at the party's convention in Ottawa in March.

The pamphlet in question sought "victory fund" donations in exchange for a day at Queen's Park. Those who gave $5,000, spread over either one or three years, would be invited to the legislature “to observe question period and meet with the leader and caucus in the member’s lounge following question period.” Using government resources for political fundraising or partisan activity is a breach of parliamentary convention, and so the Liberals complained thusly.

PC leader Patrick Brown is not responsible for a party pamphlet purporting to swap political access for donations. Steve Russell / Toronto Star.

PC leader Patrick Brown is not responsible for a party pamphlet purporting to swap political access for donations. Steve Russell / Toronto Star.

Wake deemed otherwise.

“The proposed use of Queen’s Park was the result of a mistake made by the entity responsible for raising funds for Mr. Brown’s party, Mr. Brown was not aware of the offer and Mr. Brown had no oversight authority over the staff who made the offer,” he said in a statement.

At the time the Liberals had accused Brown of “selling access to the legislature” in order to solicit party donations. At issue in the complaint, filed by Minister of Government and Consumer Services Marie-France Lalonde, was the term “member’s lounge" — a phrase that is used interchangeably and inconsistently throughout the legislature, as there is no official room at Queen's Park with the moniker, the commissioner's report noted.

And given that it is already accessible to the public, Brown told the commissioner it would be “foolish” to proffer access to question period in exchange for padding party coffers.

Wake said he did not think all actions of a political party or the associated fundraising entity should necessarily be attributed to the leader of the party itself.

“I found no evidence of any additional access to question period being offered to donors than the access that is already available to them as members of the public, other than observing the proceedings from a different, and arguably less desirable, gallery,” he said.

Wake added that the implication alone may have impacted the esteemed legislature.

“I am concerned about the effect that the brochure, limited in circulation as it was, had on the dignity of Queen’s Park … The proposed use of Queen’s Park for fundraising purposes diminishes the dignity of the assembly,” he said.

Lalonde herself avoided an investigation by the integrity commissioner last week. In May, NDP deputy leader Jagmeet Singh alleged Lalonde, then the chief government whip, had contravened parliamentary convention when the Liberal Caucus Services Bureau issued a news release referring to the NDP’s byelection contender Neethan Shan as a “perennial candidate.”

Singh alleged the Liberal Caucus Services Bureau had used government resources for partisan purpose. The integrity commissioner declined to investigate, but the Bureau acknowledged its release was “inappropriate.”

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snanji@qpbriefing.com
416-212-5789

Integrity commissioner finds no quid pro quo in complaint against Patrick Brown

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