NDP calls on Elections Ontario to investigate Ford government contract with private health-care company
Elections Ontario is being asked to investigate a private health-care company whose corporate directors made a series of donations to the Progressive Conservative party weeks before the company was awarded a sole-sourced contract to run vaccine clinics in the province.
Ontario's NDP wrote a letter to Chief Electoral Officer Greg Essensa asking him to probe 17 "potentially coordinated donations" made by the corporate directors and family members of FH Health -- a private firm that was tapped by the Doug Ford government to run 10 vaccine clinics in the Greater Toronto Area.
The NDP is calling into question $42,600 worth of contributions over the month of September to the Ontario PC party of amounts ranging from $1,000 to $3,300 made by the President, Director, Chair and Chief Medical Officer of FH Health and several others who share family or business connections with the company's directors.
"When you've got executives making the maximum donation, and their family members making the maximum donation all around the same time, that isn't just a fluke, that's not just a coincidence," said NDP MPP Taras Natyshak.
Natyshak says the donations might have broken Ontario's election financing laws which forbids corporations from funneling money to political parties through individual donors and prevents a party from knowingly accepting false contributions.
The NDP has also asked Ontario's Auditor General to investigate the deal between the government and FH health.
The Ford government, however, is denying any quid pro quo saying that FH Health won a contract in 2021 to run mobile testing clinics in the province and already had an "existing relationship with Ontario Health" before the scope of the contract was expanded.
"The Ministry of the Solicitor General entered into an emergency procurement with FH Health to establish additional vaccine clinics – to urgently accelerate boosters for education workers before the return of in-person learning – as they already had physical capacity and Health Human Resources supports in place," said Stephen Warner, a spokesperson for Solicitor General Sylvia Jones.
The government also pointed out that three of the corporate directors also made donations to the Ontario Liberal party between 2018 and 2021, including donations made to Steven Del Duca's leadership campaign.
While FH Health has not responded to emails from CTV News Toronto, a spokesperson denied any wrongdoing in a statement to Queen's Park Today, which initially reported news of the donations.
“Individuals, in their personal capacity, may have chosen to donate to political parties on all sides over the years. In every case they have done so on their own and most certainly not at the behest or suggestion of the company,” the company told the publication.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.