本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛Staff in some provincial government ministries are under criminal investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police, the Star has learned. The probe is examining business dealings with private-sector firms.
The OPP confirmed Friday that the force’s anti-rackets branch is conducting the investigation.
“There is an ongoing investigation into irregular transactions between government ministries and outside vendors,” said Linda Cranney, a member of the OPP’s media relations staff, who declined to provide any other details about the nature of the investigation.
However, sources say personnel from the OPP’s anti-rackets branch executed search warrants and raided government ministries in the Macdonald Block near the Ontario Legislature on Thursday.
That block contains offices for numerous ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and Ontario Realty Corp., the government’s real estate arm.
A senior Ontario government official confirmed in a statement that staff at provincial ministries are the subject of a police investigation.
“We understand there is an ongoing OPP investigation that concerns individuals working in the Ontario government,” said Ron McKerlie, the deputy minister of government services and the provincial cabinet’s associate secretary.
“We take these matters very seriously.
“Staff are fully cooperating — and will continue to cooperate — with the police as they conduct their investigation.
“The Ontario public service is deeply committed to upholding public trust and providing high quality services to the people of Ontario. Should any wrongdoing be found as a result of the investigation, we will take immediate and appropriate action.”
Last year, an Ontario judge found a Vaughan landscape contractor and two partners guilty of corruption and liable for more than $3 million plus interest in a nine-year civil case. It involved the manipulation of bids for an environmental cleanup contract and three land sales with Ontario Realty Corp. staff during the late 1990s.
The government had initially sued more than 45 individuals and companies, including several ORC employees, for about $48 million for their roles in alleged bid-rigging, accepting kickbacks, breach of trust, forgery and fraud.
In that scandal, two government employees pleaded guilty to accepting kickbacks or secret commissions totalling more than $85,000 and repaid the money. One of the employees had buried the money in his backyard for safekeeping.
The operator of the outside firm pleaded guilty to bribery and bid-rigging and was ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution.
Serious questions about selling and operational practices surfaced at Ontario Realty in the late 1990s after the agency was dramatically downsized to cut costs. At that time, the agency increased its use of outside contractors and launched a major selling program to generate extra government revenues.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
The OPP confirmed Friday that the force’s anti-rackets branch is conducting the investigation.
“There is an ongoing investigation into irregular transactions between government ministries and outside vendors,” said Linda Cranney, a member of the OPP’s media relations staff, who declined to provide any other details about the nature of the investigation.
However, sources say personnel from the OPP’s anti-rackets branch executed search warrants and raided government ministries in the Macdonald Block near the Ontario Legislature on Thursday.
That block contains offices for numerous ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and Ontario Realty Corp., the government’s real estate arm.
A senior Ontario government official confirmed in a statement that staff at provincial ministries are the subject of a police investigation.
“We understand there is an ongoing OPP investigation that concerns individuals working in the Ontario government,” said Ron McKerlie, the deputy minister of government services and the provincial cabinet’s associate secretary.
“We take these matters very seriously.
“Staff are fully cooperating — and will continue to cooperate — with the police as they conduct their investigation.
“The Ontario public service is deeply committed to upholding public trust and providing high quality services to the people of Ontario. Should any wrongdoing be found as a result of the investigation, we will take immediate and appropriate action.”
Last year, an Ontario judge found a Vaughan landscape contractor and two partners guilty of corruption and liable for more than $3 million plus interest in a nine-year civil case. It involved the manipulation of bids for an environmental cleanup contract and three land sales with Ontario Realty Corp. staff during the late 1990s.
The government had initially sued more than 45 individuals and companies, including several ORC employees, for about $48 million for their roles in alleged bid-rigging, accepting kickbacks, breach of trust, forgery and fraud.
In that scandal, two government employees pleaded guilty to accepting kickbacks or secret commissions totalling more than $85,000 and repaid the money. One of the employees had buried the money in his backyard for safekeeping.
The operator of the outside firm pleaded guilty to bribery and bid-rigging and was ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution.
Serious questions about selling and operational practices surfaced at Ontario Realty in the late 1990s after the agency was dramatically downsized to cut costs. At that time, the agency increased its use of outside contractors and launched a major selling program to generate extra government revenues.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net