Tory Leader Tim Hudak pledges judicial probe of $1B gas plant scandal

Tim Hudak, leader of the Progressive Conservativ Party. rmnoa357 / Shutterstock

OTTAWA — Tim Hudak is bringing the federal Liberal sponsorship scandal into the Ontario election campaign as he continues to call for a judicial inquiry into the gas plants scandal.

The Progressive Conservative leader says a judicial inquiry is needed to get to the bottom of two gas plant cancellations before the last provincial election at a cost of up to $1.1-billion.

He says it would send a “powerful signal” to politicians of all political stripes that they can’t get away with the misuse of tax dollars.

Hudak cited the Gomery commission into the federal Adscam scandal as a model for what he plans.

He says Justice John Gomery got answers on behalf of taxpayers, criminal charges were laid and the inquiry sent a powerful signal that the abuse of taxpayer dollars to reward Liberal insiders won’t be tolerated.

The provincial Liberals have pointed out that various Tory politicians opposed a public inquiry into the gas plant cancellations as too expensive, preferring instead to go with a probe by a legislative committee.