Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has charged two people following an investigation relating to the candidate nomination process for the February 2015 provincial by-election in the Electoral District of Sudbury.
Following receipt of two complaints in December 2014, the Chief Electoral Officer of Ontario -- an Independent Officer of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario -- commenced a regulatory investigation and reported apparent contraventions of Ontario’s Election Act to the Ministry of the Attorney-General (MAG) in accordance with the Act. MAG then requested the OPP to investigate the reported apparent contraventions of the Act. Members of the OPP Anti-Rackets Branch began investigating these apparent contraventions of the Act in December of 2015. In consultation with the Public Prosecutions Service of Canada and with the required consent of the Chief Electoral Officer of Ontario, the investigation led police to lay charges on October 31, 2016.
The OPP has charged Patricia SORBARA, aged 60 years of Toronto, with two counts of Bribery contrary to Section 96.1 (e) of Ontario’s Election Act. Mr. Gerald LOUGHEED Jr., aged 62 years of Sudbury, is charged with one count of Bribery contrary to Section 96.1 (e) of Ontario’s Election Act. Both accused are expected to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Sudbury on November 21, 2016.
“This has been a complex and unprecedented investigation for the OPP Anti-Rackets Branch, which has culminated in bribery charges under the Election Act of Ontario,” says OPP Commissioner J.V.N. (Vince) HAWKES.
The OPP will not comment further in order to protect the integrity of the investigation and the ongoing court processes.