B. C. Liberal spokesman to face questions in Ontario probe

Premier Christy Clark’s chief spokesman has been called to testify regarding a political scandal in Ontario.

NDP supporters provided information to The Sun Sunday that Ben Chin, Clark’s director of communications, has been summoned by Ontario’s Standing Committee on Justice. It is examining former Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty’s decision to scrap gas plants planned for Oakville and Mississauga.

The revelations came as an apparent counter- attack after Liberal supporters leaked an NDP document detailing its party policy ideas from 2010.

Last month, Ontario’s auditorgeneral reported the cost of scrapping the Mississauga gas plant in mid- construction, just days before the 2011 election, was $ 275 million, not the $ 190 million the Liberals claimed.

Chin is to testify because he was vice- president of communications for the Ontario Power Authority and helped TransCanada Energy, the company building the plants, communicate with the Premier’s office.

Chin said Sunday the committee has “cast its net fairly wide” in calling witnesses and that his participation was leaked just before Tuesday’s election by “people who are worried about how well we’re doing and are trying to create as many speed bumps as they can.”

Chin said he has nothing to hide. “I certainly didn’t make any decisions or have any role in making decisions.