Dates set for Lougheed, Sorbara trial in Ontario byelection scandal

A trial is scheduled to begin this fallfor two Ontario Liberals who are at thecentre of the 2015 Sudbury, Ont.,bylectionscandal.

The proceedings will take place from September 7 to 22, October 10 to 13 and 23 to 27 in Sudbury.

Pat Sorbara, Premier Kathleen Wynne's former campaign director and deputy chief of staff, and Gerry Lougheed, a Sudbury Liberal fundraiser,were charged in November 2016 with bribery under the Elections Act for allegedly offering former Sudbury Liberal candidate Andrew Olivier a job or appointment in exchange for not running in the byelection.

Sorbara is also accused of bribing Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault to quit his job as Sudbury's NDP MPand run for the Ontario Liberals, as their preferred candidate.

These are provincial offences. They come with a maximum of two years in jail or a $25,000 fine.

Lougheed was previously facing criminal charges related to the byelection scandal, with trial dates set for last summer, but those chargeswere stayed in April 2016 after prosecutors said the criminal case was being complicated by the investigation into Elections Act charges.

Lougheed, Sorbara, Thibeault and the Ontario Liberal Party have always maintained their innocence and said they did nothing wrong.

Sorbara and Lougheed's trial dates are expected to be confirmed on June 27.