Scarborough-Rouge River byelection begins with accusations, request for Elections Ontario investigation

Premier Kathleen Wynne is dismissing opposition partycomplaints that the Liberal candidate in the Scarborough-Rouge Riverbyelection had an unfair advantage by knowing when the vote would becalled.

Liberal candidate Piragal Thiru sent out an email Wednesday announcingthe byelection several minutes before the government's official newsrelease saying the vote would be held Sept. 1.

• Scarborough-RougeRiver byelection set for Sept. 1

The governing party quickly apologized in a brief news release."This was the case of an eager local campaign that should havewaited two minutes until the government release was posted," itsaid.

Complaint filed

The New Democrats filed a complaint with Elections Ontario askingfor an investigation into what they said looks like collusionbetween the premier's office and the Liberal campaign.Wynne called it a "two minute mistake" which she attributed to"an overly eager campaign," but said there was really no advantagefor Thiru because everyone expected the byelection call to comeWednesday.

"The reality is everyone knew that there was going to be anannouncement and all the candidates had been nominated for all theparties, and I don't think it was a real surprise to anyone," Wynnetold the Canadian Press Friday in aninterview."We have apologized for that timing."

Economic Development Minister Brad Duguid insisted "it's hardlya major issue" to see a Liberal campaign press release just minutesahead of the official byelection announcement."We do regret there if there is a convention with regard tothese items that that convention wasn't followed," he said.

'A clear violation of ... fairness'

Wynne and Duguid said they don't see how the NDP and ProgressiveConservatives can claim the Liberal candidate was given an unfairadvantage.

In addition to giving their campaign an unfair advantage,this undermines Ontarians' faith that elections are being conductedfairly.-GillesBisson, Ontario NDP house leader

NDP house leader Gilles Bisson said the only way for the Liberalcampaign to know the date ahead of time was to be given theinformation, and he believes that is ultimately Wynne'sresponsibility. It suggests Wynne is more interested in winning thebyelection than the conduct of a fair election, he added.

"I am requesting that Elections Ontario investigate an apparentviolation of the Election Act, and a clear violation of electoralconvention and the principle of electoral fairness, by thepremier," Bisson wrote in a letter to chief electoral officer GregEssensa. "In addition to giving their campaign an unfair advantage,this undermines Ontarians' faith that elections are being conductedfairly."

Progressive Conservative critic Monte McNaughton said it was"irresponsible" of the government to be so dismissive of theopposition parties' concerns about the Liberal candidate havingadvance knowledge of the timing of the byelection.

"We've unfortunately grown accustomed to this government puttingthe Liberal Party ahead of the best interests of the people of theprovince," he said. "Voters in Scarborough have a chance to send amessage to Kathleen Wynne and the Liberal government that we want toclean things up at Queen's Park.

Wynne still hasn't set a date for a byelection inthe riding of Ottawa-Vanier, whichwas left vacant when former attorney general Madeleine Meilleurresigned in June.