Niagara Centre NDP MPP Jeff Burch Joins Growing Call for Immediate Resignation of Doug Ford Cabinet Toady Steve Clark

Unknown Second Ontario Ford Government Staffer Had Hand In Greenbelt Grab

“The resignation of (Ford Cabinet Minister) Clark’s Chief of Staff  (Ryan Amato) – apparently against the wishes of Ford – is not nearly enough. This corruption starts at the top, and we need to get to the bottom of how far down it really goes.”                              – Niagara Centre NDP MPP Jeff Burch

Niagara Centre NDP MPP Jeff Burch

News from the Niagara Centre Constituency Office of NDP MPP Jeff Burch

Posted August 24^th, 2023 on Niagara At Large

WELLAND – Jeff Burch, the Ontario NDP Critic for Municipal Affairs, is reiterating Official Opposition Leader Marit Stiles’ demand (https://www.ontariondp.ca/news/rot-starts-top-opposition-leader-stiles-demands-accountability-greenbelt-corruption-scandal) that Premier Ford force Minister Clark’s resignation from Cabinet, highlighting that Clark’s chief of staff was not the only member of his team who had a hand in the Greenbelt Grab

There was an unknown second staffer who had a significant role in selecting Greenbelt sites.

“The fact that a second Clark staff member was selecting Greenbelt sites to hand over to developers makes it even more incredulous that the Minister was unaware of what was going on in his own office,” Burch said.

“Who was this staffer that had a role in carving up five parcels of the Greenbelt? What was their role? We need more information about who was involved in this important matter of public interest.”

The Auditor General’s report found that five additional sites were identified by a second “political staff member in the Minister’s Office.” One of the sites was in Hamilton and did not meet the criteria for removal but was removed anyway. The land was entirely a “specialty crop” area for agriculture.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark – an arrogant, yet incompenent destroyer of Ontario’s precious food-growing lands. It is time for him to go.

“Mr. Ford needs to demand Mr. Clark’s immediate resignation from Cabinet. The resignation of Clark’s Chief of Staff – apparently against the wishes of Ford – is not nearly enough. This corruption starts at the top, and we need to get to the bottom of how far down it really goes.”

QUICK FACTS:

* According to Page 35 of the Auditor General’s report (https://www.auditor.on.ca/en/content/specialreports/specialreports/Greenbelt_en.pdf) , 13 Greenbelt sites for removal came from the Chief of Staff, five came from a Clark staffer, and just one site came from the Greenbelt Project Team

* One of the sites proposed by the unknown Clark staffer was in Hamilton, two are in Grimsby.

* In November 2022, Clark amended the urban boundaries in Hamilton (https://globalnews.ca/news/9257463/hamilton-urban-boundary-expansion-reaction/) , against the city’s own plan (https://globalnews.ca/news/8388719/hamilton-councillors-vote-urban-boundary/) .

* Many of the same Greenbelt developers (https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-region/who-owns-the-biggest-stake-in-hamilton-s-urban-boundary-debate/article_5df30392-40f5-5619-a2c3-891233f19151.html) benefitted from Clark’s decision to create more sprawl.

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