Green Party leader calls for probe into alleged interference by Doug Ford's top aide

The leader of the Green party says alleged interference by Premier Doug Ford's top aide into staffing matters at Ontario Power Generation should be investigated.

Mike Schreiner says Ontario's Integrity Commissioner, or potentially another agency, should look into a published report that Dean French personally intervened in the dismissal of Alykhan Velshi, who used to be former Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown's chief of staff.

The Globe and Mail, citing unnamed sources, reported that Velshi was recently hired by the Crown corporation but fired on the day he started after French asked the head of the OPG's board for his removal.

When asked repeatedly about the issue today, Energy Minister Greg Rickford would only say that Ontario Power Generation makes its own staffing decisions.

The Crown corporation says it does not publicly discuss individual employee matters and Velshi, who the Globe says has been kept on until his firing formally takes effect, referred all questions to the OPG.

Velshi worked with Brown until the former party leader resigned in January following allegations of sexual misconduct he has denied.

Ford took over Brown's post after a hotly contested leadership race.