EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared on The Trillium, a new Village Media website devoted exclusively to covering provincial politics at Queen’s Park.
Ontario's integrity commissioner is "preparing summonses" for "numerous witnesses" in his probe into the Greenbelt.
In an interim report published midday on Thursday, Ontario's Integrity commissioner J. David Wake also said he's "required the production of documents from government and non-government" sources as part of his inquiry into the government's decision to remove land from the Greenbelt.
The report addresses NDP Leader Marit Stiles' request for an investigation into Premier Doug Ford over his daughter's wedding festivities that followed her earlier request which prompted the Greenbelt probe.
Wake said he found "some issues" with her wedding-related request but opted to put it on hold, rather than dismiss it.
READ MORE: NDP seeks new ethics investigation into Ford daughter's wedding events
READ MORE: Why Ontario's MPP ethics law might not capture the stag and doe
The reason Wake gave is that Stiles' wedding-related complaint raises the question of whether Ford or someone in his government improperly used their influence to further the interests of friends and donors in the Greenbelt, which is the issue he is investigating in the initial probe.
Because of that, Wake has "decided to put the request in abeyance until the completion of the open inquiry."
