TORONTO - Premier Dalton McGuinty says the province is looking at taking back some of the year-end cash handed out to a slew of multicultural groups after a damning report by Ontario's auditor general.
McGuinty says he's asked the new Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Gerry Phillips to look at whether some of that cash should be returned after the auditor found the money was handed out without any accountability or transparency.
McGuinty says the province obviously "came up short'' but wouldn't say what grounds the government has to ask for the money back.
The Ontario Cricket Association asked for $150,000 and got $1 million -- half of which is sitting in a bank account.
Mike Kendall, head of the association, says the money has been put to good use -- fixing up facilities and beefing up coaching.
Immigration minister Mike Colle resigned Thursday after the auditor found $32 million in year-end money was rushed out the door without an acceptable process.
