The person at the centre of an investigation into the leak of draft documents to the NDP has been fired by the Ontario Public Service, according to a memo circulated to staff.
“I am writing to confirm that as a result of our investigation into this matter, the employee responsible for this breach is no longer employed in the Ontario Public Service,” wrote Steven Davidson, Ontario’s interim Secretary of the Cabinet.
“The Ontario Provincial Police have also been notified,” he noted.
A source close to government told CTV News Toronto earlier in the day that the OPS knew the identity of the person who leaked the files on Ontario’s health system.
The first set of documents, which were verified by Health Minister Christine Elliott, included draft legislation which laid out plans to create a “super agency” responsible for bureaucratic decisions.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath released the draft bill to reporters on Thursday.
On Monday, Horwath released a second set of documents that revealed the extent of the planning that had been undertaken. The documents also appeared to note that the ideas had been approved by cabinet.
Elliott said the second set was an “internal, non-partisan, public services document” that she had never seen. She noted though that it is “not surprising” that the public service created draft “options.”
“This person did not uncover scandal or mismanagement,” Elliott said of the person who leaked the information.
She said that she would not comment further given the ongoing investigation, but noted that it was “disappointing that the events of the last week have cast a shadow” on the work of the public service.
