By Canadian Press

Former MP turned Ontario energy minister says he never asked for a bribe

Nov 22, 2016 | 9:30 AM

TORONTO — A former MP who is now Ontario’s energy minister emotionally denied allegations Tuesday that he asked for a bribe in exchange for running in a byelection for the provincial Liberals.

The Crown lawyer prosecuting two Ontario Liberals on Election Act bribery charges said Monday that Glenn Thibeault “sought certain benefits, offers or job or employment as part of his conditions to run as (an) MPP.”

Thibeault said Tuesday he has no idea what that allegation is based on, because he never asked for “anything that would be seen as a bribe.”

He choked up after a question period dominated by opposition calls for his resignation, saying the scandal is hard on his family.

“If anyone’s ever had to explain to a nine-year-old why you’re not a bad man, it’s not an easy conversation,” Thibeault said. “But I will not be resigning.”

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Thibeault’s lawyer has said prosecutor Vern Brewer’s comments sullied Thibeault’s reputation and the politician is considering his legal options.

The charges against the two provincial Liberals, including Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne’s former deputy chief of staff, stem from allegations they offered a would-be candidate a job or appointment to get him to step aside in a 2015 byelection in Sudbury, Ont., for Thibeault, who was the premier’s preferred candidate.

Thibeault was then the New Democrat MP for Sudbury. He ultimately won the byelection for the provincial Liberals, and then was promoted to energy minister earlier this year.

He said he never asked to be in cabinet, nor did he ask for the promise of a job if he lost the byelection, and says he is considering his legal options over Brewer’s comments.

“The comments that the premier and I had was, ‘I look forward to running in an election, winning the election becoming the MPP and then if the premier felt I had the skill set to go into cabinet then that would be great, but I never sought anything other than to be the candidate to run in the election.”

The premier has not asked for his resignation, Thibeault said.

He is not charged, nor is he under investigation, the Liberals note. The Election Act makes it an offence to offer a bribe, but not necessarily to ask for one.

Thibeault is named in one of the charges against Pat Sorbara, who took a leave of absence from her job as Wynne’s deputy chief of staff to become the Ontario Liberals’ CEO and 2018 campaign director — posts she resigned from when the charges were laid. She is alleged to have promised to get Thibeault “an office or employment” to induce him to become a candidate.

Sorbara has said she believes the charges against her will not succeed and she is “shocked” by any suggestion she has done something wrong.

The Liberals launched accusations at both opposition parties Tuesday, suggesting they had promised members jobs in exchange for running or stepping aside. New Democrat Jagmeet Singh was named deputy leader amid rumours he would seek the federal leadership. He said they were not connected.

Deputy premier Deb Matthews listed Tories who had given up their seats and received jobs shortly after.

Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown said those were “ludicrous, pathetic smears.”

“I think it shows how desperate the government is,” he said.

— with files from CJMX in Sudbury

Allison Jones, The Canadian Press