Ontario PCs accuse Liberals of using public funds on campaign-style events ahead of election

TORONTO – Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives are accusing the governing Liberals of spending public funds on campaign-style events ahead of the spring election, and have asked Elections Ontario to investigate.

Tory officials say party lawyers sent a letter to the agency responsible for administering provincial elections, saying the Liberals held events this month advertising “political platforms” rather than government programs.

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The Tories say the Liberal party should foot the bill for those events, not taxpayers.

Liberal campaign co-chair Deb Matthews says the events are organized to make government announcements, so it’s appropriate to spend government money on them.

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Elections Ontario declined to comment on whether it had received the complaint or if it would be investigating.

But the agency notes that if it does probe the accusations and finds there’s been a contravention of either the Election Act or the Election Finances Act, the matter would be referred to the Ministry of the Attorney General.