Ontario Speaker sees grounds for contempt case against Liberals

The Speaker of the Ontario legislature says there aregrounds for finding Energy Minister Chris Bentley in contempt, as a result of his refusal to produce all documents on the cancelled electricity generating stations in Mississauga and Oakville.

Speaker Dave Levac found there was a "prima facie" case of breach of privilege when Bentley refused to provide all thedocuments on the cancelled gas plantsto a legislative committee.

However, Levac also said he wants the issue to go back to the three party house leaders to resolve among themselves by Sept. 24.

The Progressive Conservatives and New Democrats say the house leaders can't even agree on re-establishing committees, and won't be able to resolve the dispute over the gas plant documents.

The government has already admitted it will cost taxpayers $190 millionfor the Liberals' decision to halt construction on the Mississauga power station in the middle of last year's election campaign.

However, there's been no indication how much it will cost for the Liberals' decision to scrap another gas plant in Oakville the year before.