A former top political aide in Ontario has been found guilty of destroying documents related to a controversial provincial government decision and it's drawn a swift reaction from PC leader Patrick Brown.
David Livingston, who was chief of staff for ex-Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty, was charged with attempted mischief and illegal use of a computer.
The destroyed documents were related to the Liberal government's costly decision to cancel two gas plants before a provincial election.
Judge Timothy Lipson says Livingston was a sophisticated individual who knew exactly what he was doing.
Livingston's deputy, Laura Miller, was also charged in the case and was found not guilty.
“It’s a sad day when a premier’s most senior official is found guilty of trying to orchestrate a cover-up of the $1.1 billion gas plant scandal," said Brown in a news release. "The guilty verdict is an indictment of the 15 years of Liberal political corruption that has long been rooted in the premier’s office.
“While the justice system has taken its course, no verdict will return the $1.1 billion the Liberal government wasted just to win seats in an election.
“A senior official in the Liberal government deleted documents to try and hide the truth. Following the campaign co-chaired by Kathleen Wynne, the Liberals were only concerned about their best interests, not the best interests of the people of Ontario. They simply cannot be trusted.
“Sadly, the gas plant scandal is just one example of the consistent pattern of political corruption by this Liberal government. Now that the case has reached its completion, we are fearful of what waste and political corruption the next Liberal scandal will reveal.”
With files from Canadian Press
