Page 1 of 3 Insidehalton Article: Shocking Donation 29/12/2010 Http

InsideHalton Article: Shocking donation Page 1 of 3

Articles Photos Videos Businesses

Enter Search Text ...

Home News Sports What's On Opinion Community Announcements Jobs Used Cars Real Estate Rentals Classifieds Flyers

Home » Shocking donation ...

Small - Large | Print | Email | Add to Favourites | Featured

Angela Blackburn/Oakville Beaver | Nov 01, 2010 - 5:17 PM | 4 Catherine O’Hara, Metroland West media Group | Dec 29 Shocking donation Halton police sergeant reaches out to Village of Hope Ontario Liberals list Oakville Hydro as $15,000 campaign contributor A staff sergeant with the Halton Regional Police, Gavin Hayes is Oakville taxpayers may be lining up eager to help... behind the Ontario NDP and others this week asking why Oakville Hydro donated just over $15,000 to the Ontario Liberal Party — in general in Featured Video 2008 and to a cottage country by- election in 2009.

That’s according to Ontario Elections contributions statements brought to light yesterday by the Ontario NDP.

But Oakville Hydro CEO and president Rob Lister said Oakville Hydro Corporation purchased a table at an annual heritage dinner, held in Toronto, an annual business networking event for the years and amounts in question.

“The situation is that back in 2009, Shocking donation. Oakville Hydro purchased a table at the heritage dinner,” Lister told The Oakville Beaver Monday.

Lister said the political party contribution is “unrelated.”

“Oakville Hydro Corporation purchased a table,” said Lister, indicating he wasn’t aware what the organizers did with the funds raised by the dinner.

“All I know is that Oakville Hydro was at an event in Toronto,” he said.

Lister said the same scenario applied for the two years in question.

Lister assured that the table was purchased with funds from Oakville Hydro’s revenue-generating businesses (including telecommunications and construction companies) and not from taxpayers or consumer of the utility’s electricity distribution company.

Asked if the issue appears damaging to Oakville Hydro, Lister said he was fielding media enquiries today and at this point Oakville Hydro Corporation has no plans to attend this year’s dinner. Select a City ALLISTON / INNISFIL / ANGUS The by-election for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock was one in which John Tory was hoping to beat Liberal Rick Half-Priced Theatre Tickets Johnson and gain a seat in the Ontario Legislature. AURORA / NEWMARKET Nor was it solely Oakville Hydro that contributed substantial cash to the cottage country political scene. 50% Off at Dick's Wings & Grill

Other public utility contributors included Essex Power Corp., Newmarket-Tay Power Distribution, Niagara on the BARRIE Lake Hydro and St. Catharines Hydro Generation. Half-Priced Theatre Tickets BELLEVILLE / QUINTE Oakville Hydro, was however, the largest public utilities contributor with the documents indicating a $7,000 Oakville 55% off at Sir Sam's Ski & Bike Hydro contribution to the Ontario Liberal Party in 2008 and an $8,500 donation to the by-election in 2009.

The other public utilities were of several hundred dollars or around the $1,000 or $2,000 mark.

According to follow-up media reports, each of the utilities named by the New Democrats said they never donated money directly to the Liberals, but rather purchased tickets to party fundraisers so they could network with cabinet ministers and industry officials. http://www.insidehalton.com/article/896445--shocking-donation 29/12/2010 InsideHalton Article: Shocking donation Page 2 of 3

Other major contributors to the Ontario Liberal Party cited in the documents produced by the NDP included the Ontario Professional Firefighters Association, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF), Most Popular Read | Recommended | Shared Ontario Dental Association, Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association and others. Today | This Week | This Month

Small - Large | Print | Email | Add to Favourites | City loses longtime friend of the arts Tiger-Cats eye Burlington for stadium User Comments Two 15-year-olds charged Login to comment Newest first Industrial accident kills Milton truck... Barbecuing in garage causes deadly gas...

Donation of Oakville Hydro to political party

This donation is an outrage and smacks of total disregard for taxpayers monies. It's simply porkbarrel politics at its worst. How Burton can claim "it's for the good of Oakville" is utterly disgusting and shows his disdain for residents. It's only too bad that this was not publicly known prior to the municipal election. Shame on you Petali Burton, shame on you Oakville Hydro. Nov 6, 2010 2:25 PM Agree 2 | Disagree | Offensive

Maybe legal... but morally corrupt!

To say I'm shocked by these reports is to say the least. The legality of this "donation" may be yet to be settled, but to use public monies for any political reason is, in my mind, unbelievable and corrupt. This action brings into question the moral fiber of every member on the Board. How could this be passed, and I can't believe every member is a Liberal supporter! Were funds directed at other parties as well? Why were they getting involved in another regions politics anyway? It makes one wonder what the outcome of our recently past municipal election results may have been if this info had been released two months ago. I Sinical couldn't find any "political donation" line on the Oakville Hydro financial report so I Featured Businesses Nov 3, 2010 8:05 PM wonder how it was "listed" in the public statement. Oakville Hydro and ALL its assets are public domain and trying to say it was not taken from general revenues is a cop-out and should be investigated to the fullest. Complete Roofing Agree 3 | Disagree 1 | Offensive We offer a variety of services and products to match your budget. Tim Bits AAA Spectrum Energy HVAC & Electrical Services The Progressive Conservatives also refused to support the NDP’s call to change Click here to learn more the rules to prohibit local utility companies from making political donations. “I about Heating & Air wouldn’t advocate changing a system that is clear and transparent about where Conditioning. campaign contributions come from,” said Opposition Leader Tim Hudak. (as Frog reported in the Hamilton Spectator) Nov 3, 2010 2:13 PM Miltowne Collision We Meet By Accident. Agree 3 | Disagree | Offensive Instep Activewear Inc The dancewear store with so much more! 3 teekay Locations to serve you better. Hummm...Energy and Ontario's Premier's plan to make the rich, middle class and ultimely the poor, pay, seems to be one of the biggest cash grabs we as Health Centre of consumers have witnessed in a long time. This would and should drive the Milton teekay outcome of the next election...I agree with other posters, something isn't right here. Chiropractic Massage, Nov 2, 2010 7:43 PM Sports Injury, Rehab, Acupuncture, Orthotics. Agree 6 | Disagree 1 | Offensive Weekends & Evenings.

First Professional Collision & Paint Inc. We did not know that it was a Liberal fund raiser? MILTON'S FULL SERVICE COLLISION Ok the only way we can clear this up is a public council meeting with this on the CENTRE 905.876.1116 agenda. Mayor Rob Burton, Councillor Max Khan and the town manager Ray Green are on the Hydro board and this must have been approved by the board. Kerby's Towing These men need to explain and clear there names and the town of Oakville You Will Love Our reputation. Trying to say that the funds were from income generating parts of Service! Oakville Hydro is the beginning of a long political spin; it is not going to wash with residents. This is the reason that Oakville Hydro needs to be sold or made johnskay completely transparent as part of the town Oakville. too much is going on out of the Nov 2, 2010 8:44 AM view of its share holders which are the people of Oakville. Perhaps John Tory could look into this for us.

Agree 6 | Disagree 1 | Offensive

Page 1 of 2 Prev Next