In his 2007 Throne Speech, Dalton McGuinty promised he would set up a provincial diabetes strategy, the centerpiece of which would be a provincial diabetes registry to be set up by the Spring 2009 – by none other his Liberal appointed friends at eHealth Ontario.  Despite the waste of hundreds of millions of dollars, Spring 2009 has come and gone and Ontario diabetics are still no closer to getting their promised support.

In his 2007 Throne Speech, Dalton McGuinty also promised he would hire 9,000 nurses.  Dalton McGuinty’s empty promises come as small comfort the seniors, families and patients in Ottawa who are grappling with the news that the Ottawa Hospital will actually be forced to eliminate 190 nursing positions due to a lack of frontline support.

2010 will be an even more taxing year for Ontario families already struggling to make ends meet under Dalton McGuinty’s government. This year, Dalton McGuinty plans to impose the single largest sales tax increase in Ontario, which is the latest in a long series of tax and fee increases imposed since 2003.    Read More

“Dalton McGuinty just doesn’t get it,” said Tory. “He has had almost five years in government and is about to table his fifth budget and things are getting worse for Ontarians not better. The reality is Mr. McGuinty and his harmful economic policies are pushing investment and jobs out of Ontario and discouraging jobs from coming here.”

By Caroline Grech (July 28, 2007 – yorkregion.com)

Richmond Hill Liberal candidate Reza Moridi doesn’t think money awarded to a local charity group by the Dalton McGuinty government needs to be given back, despite findings that no formal process was followed to receive the money.

His comments come in the wake of a scathing report from Auditor General Jim McCarter on how charity groups received millions in questionable provincial grants.

The report led to the resignation Thursday of Citizenship and Immigration Minister Mike Colle.

The grant money has been described as a slush fund by Opposition parties.

Mr. McCarter concluded the granting process was not open, transparent or accountable.

His report paints a damning picture of the process under which the Iranian-Canadian Community Centre (ICCC) and other groups received money, even though it falls short of saying groups got preference because of ties to the provincial Liberals.

The ICCC received a $200,000 grant to build a community centre in Richmond Hill.

Mr. Moridi, a former board member of the ICCC prior to running for the Liberal candidacy in Richmond Hill, said the organization is still fundraising and working on its project.

“The money will be used wisely. As far as I know it is still there (in a bank account),” Mr. Moridi said.

 When asked if he thought that the money should be returned given the report’s findings, he stressed that only in certain circumstances should it be.

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By Lee Greenberg (Friday, April 20, 2007 - CanWest News Service)

(Toronto, ON) - Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty conceded Friday there are problems with a government spending program that saw $200,000 shipped to a group headed by two senior Liberal party activists, including one candidate in the upcoming election.

McGuinty said his government was going to "have to take a look" at the program which, despite doling out approximately $32 million over the past two years, according to records, has neither a formal application process nor any selection criteria. In fact, the program does not even have a name.

It was under those circumstances that the Iranian-Canadian Community Centre received the $200,000 cash grant only three weeks after registering in March 2006. The charitable organization, initially categorized under "protection of animals," was later changed to "recreation, playgrounds and vacation camps."

The group lists its mailing address as the law office of charity director David Farmani, Liberal riding association president for Richmond Hill.

Reza Moridi, the Liberal candidate in the same riding is listed as another director. A third director, Bohran Fouladi, is a longtime acquaintance of Finance Minister Greg Sorbara.

"I think we can do a better job and I think that we have to do a better job," McGuinty told reporters Friday. "We're going to have to look at it."

(Toronto, ON) - Progressive Conservative and New Democratic MPP’s joined forces today to call for a police investigation into a scandal involving $32 million in grants to multicultural groups by the McGuinty Liberal government.

Bob Runciman (MPP Leeds-Grenville), a former Solicitor General and Peter Kormos (MPP Niagara Centre), a former criminal defence lawyer, released a letter to Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant requesting a police investigation into “financial misconduct” by political officials in the distribution of “highly questionable” grants made at the fiscal year end over the last two years.

In late July, Ontario’s Auditor General released a review of the decision-making process used in the distribution of grants. His findings and scathing criticism detailing the lack of control and transparency as the money was doled out, led to the resignation of Citizenship Minister Mike Colle.

“The Auditor’s report left a basketful of unanswered questions, many beyond the Auditor’s purview to investigate and some raising issues of criminality” asserted Runciman.

“The Auditor’s report was not an investigation of civil or criminal wrongdoing rather it was a quick and narrowly scoped review that confirmed financial misconduct” said Kormos. “We still have no answers for why the misconduct occurred and how these improper benefits were sought or bestowed.”

In calling for the police investigation the veteran MPPs’ argue, citing various sections of the Criminal Code, that criminal misconduct remains a potential explanation for the actions in question and the citizens of Ontario have a right to answers.

“The Auditor General did his job, now it’s time to get to the bottom of this by having the police investigate” said Runciman. “It’s over to Mr. Bryant to do his job” added Kormos.

Contact: Bob Runciman (416) 325-1522
Peter Kormos (416) 325-7106

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John Tory details his Party’s fiscal plan and demonstrated that the Leadership Matters platform is affordable and achievable. The costing is the most comprehensive ever released by an Ontario political party for an election campaign. [more]

View the Auditor General of Ontario special report on Year-end Grants provided by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.

Auditor General Report      
Office of the Auditor General of Ontario website      

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your ongoing support of John Tory and the Ontario PC Party. I am honoured to be chosen as your Richmond Hill PC candidate representing your interests this election. My thanks go out to Lynn Foster and Pete Luchowski for their well-run nomination campaigns and tremendous enthusiasm they generated. They attracted many supporters to the team and it is my hope that everyone who participated in this exciting process will continue to support the conservative cause in Richmond Hill. With the October 10 election fast approaching, I urge all conservatives to join in to help ensure a conservative victory.

Our riding is new, but we are very fortunate to have had our current MPP Frank Klees lay a solid foundation. As we wish Frank well in seeking election north of here in Newmarket-Aurora, we need to plan to build upon his work. To do this however, I will need your assistance! We need to communicate John Tory’s plan for a Better Ontario to our friends, neighbours and colleagues. Ontario has languished for four long years and fallen behind on the world stage. Taxes, gridlock and health care wait-times have all increased in Richmond Hill.

It’s time to put an end to broken promises, weak leadership and poor results!

Our policy platform, “For a Better Ontario, Leadership Matters,” lets all Ontarians know how a John Tory government will improve our cities, towns and province. Alternatively, Ontario will never move forward under the weak leadership of Dalton McGuinty. Anyone can make a promise, but only a true leader can turn words into actions. You deserve better, and Richmond Hill deserves to have a John Tory MPP.

I urge you to take a moment to let us know how you could participate in this exciting campaign to come. Whatever the amount of time you have to spare, we will need you on the Richmond Hill PC team. I am eager to get started and I look forward to hearing from you. Please mail or fax back the enclosed volunteer form, or contact me at the numbers below.

Sincerely,



Alex Yuan – 289-475-5018
email: alex.yuan@ontariopc.net