Ontario history will be made today in Sudbury with the start of the Sudbury by-election bribery trial. Liberal fundraiser and Sudbury businessman Gerry Lougheed Junior and the Premier’s former chief of staff, Pat Sorbara face bribery charges under the Ontario Elections Act. It’s the first time anyone has ever been charged with bribery under the Act. It’s alleged Lougheed and Sorbabra offered a former candidate a job or appointment if he didn’t seek the Liberal nomination in the by-election. However both of the accused have consistently denied the claim.
As the trial begins, two Opposition Party members will be watching it unfold closely. They are Progressive Conservative MPPs Steve Clark and New Democrat Gilles Bisson. It was the work of both men that got the OPP to investigate the bribery allegations. Although criminal charges in the case were laid and then suspended, eventually the Chief Electoral Officer laid the bribery offenses under the Elections Act.
Bisson says recordings of the accused have them making a job offer to former Liberal candidate Andrew Olivier if he didn’t seek the nomination. The recordings have the accused saying they were there on behalf of the Premier. Meanwhile Clark says a lot of information will come out at the trial that prompted the Chief Electoral Officer to lay the bribe charges. Clark says what will be on trial will be Liberal political corruption. One of the witnesses testifying at the trial on behalf of the prosecution will be the Premier who takes the stand next Wednesday.
