Premier Doug Ford defended Ontario’s Skills Development Fund on Friday after an ethics investigation was launched into Labour Minister David Piccini.
The probe by Integrity Commissioner Cathryn Motherwell follows claims from the Liberals and NDP that Piccini broke ethics rules when approving skills training grants. Ford said Piccini will co-operate with the investigation but did not say whether he would remove him from cabinet.
Media reports and a recent auditor general report raised concerns about how some of the $2.5-billion fund was handed out. The auditor found the selection process was not fair or transparent and that Piccini’s office played a major role in choosing recipients. The opposition says some funding went to groups with political ties to the Progressive Conservatives.
The Skills Development Fund supports projects that train or retrain workers. The province says about 700,000 people have taken part so far.
Both the Liberals and NDP renewed calls for Piccini to resign or be fired, saying the investigation raises serious questions about accountability.
