Brown breached integrity rules: watchdog
TORONTO • Patrick Brown accepted a loan from a man who would become a candidate for his party, Ontario’s integrity watchdog said after finding the former Progressive Conservative leader breached laws that govern the conduct of legislators.
In a ruling released Thursday, Integrity Commissioner J. David Wake said Brown breached the Member’s Integrity Act four times over his personal finances, but there was insufficient evidence to find him in breach over alleged travel violations.
“It is imperative that members take their disclosure obligations ... seriously,” Wake said in his decision. “When they do not there should be consequences.”
The investigation was triggered by a complaint in February from PC legislator Randy Hillier, who alleged Brown “engaged in dirty and crooked politics.” By then Brown had resigned over sexual misconduct allegations that he denies.
Wake said Brown admitted he failed to disclose rental income of approximately $20,000 on his residence in 2016 and 2017 and failed to disclose a $375,000 loan from Jas Johal, a former PC candidate in Brampton, in 2016 and 2017.
“When the leader of a political party is substantially indebted to a candidate for election as an MPP for that party, the interests of transparency require that the indebtedness be made known so that people have an appropriate context to assess the relationship between the leader and the candidate,” Wake said.
Brown, in his first filings to the integrity watchdog in February, called Hillier’s allegations “entirely fictional” and a “crass attempt to spin the legal as illegal.” In a second filing and later interviews, Brown admitted to certain breaches, Wake noted.
The core of the complaint was Brown’s 2016 purchase of a $2.3-million lakefront home in his riding of Simcoe-North. The bank required a $575,000 down payment but Brown only had $200,000 from the sale of his previous home. Initially, Brown arranged to sell Johal, who was a friend, his stake in a Barrie bar and Aeroplan miles for $375,000, Wake’s decision said. Instead Johal loaned Brown the money.
“It is clear to me that the non-disclosure was deliberate and not through inadvertence,” Wake said.
In a post on Twitter, Brown apologized. “I accept the reprimand and apologize for not disclosing my limited rental income and temporary secondary mortgage,” he wrote. “Glad this matter is now closed.”