Unclear if ONTC documents will ever be released

Documents that contain correspondence within the Liberal Party about the sale of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission will not be released for now, and the reason why the documents wont be made public depends on who you ask.

Recently, Progressive Conservative MPP Vic Fedeli put forward a motion at the Standing Committee on Estimates at Queens Park to have the documents made public.

Committee Chair, Beaches-York New Democrat MPP Michael Prue passed the motion, but this week declared it null and void.

What hes requesting, I would give my eye teeth to see too, but he didnt ask the right people, Prue said.

Mr. Fedeli chose to ask the Ministry of Finance, and it is not a line item that they have. So they cannot, and will not produce it.

Prue said hes not sure why the request was made for the documents within the finance ministry.

I do not understand how [Fedelis] colleagues in the Conservative Party chose the wrong ministry if thats the documents they wanted, he said.

The issues manager and press secretary with the government house leader, Andrew Forgione, said documents about the ONTC would fall under the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines.

But Fedeli said he believes his request was right the first time.

Theyre Ministry of Finance documents about the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, he explained.

But I can tell you, Northern Development and Mines will quickly say to us, Im sorry, theyre finance documents,

Prue said hes not sure if the documents will ever be released.

It can probably never be done again, he said. When the estimates come out this year, there will not be a line item on the ONTC.

But Fedeli said his party is still working to have them made public.

Hopefully well bring the full weight of the legislature to get them involved, he said. We need some time to look at all of our options.