Ontario’s Integrity Commissioner says complaint against Mississauga MPP cannot proceed
Published May 6, 2022 at 12:00 pm
Ontario’s Integrity Commissioner says he cannot report on a complaint filed against a Mississauga politician because of the timing of the provincial election.
The complaint was filed against Natalia Kusendova, Conservative MPP for Mississauga Centre, in April by an NDP member of the Ontario Legislature. Tara Natyshak, MPP for Essex, alleged Kusendova violated government integrity rules by accepting over $30,000 from a former boyfriend.
Natyshak sought the Commissioner’s opinion on the matter under a section of the Members’ Integrity Act.
However, because of the election call, Commissioner J. David Wake is unable to provide the report as the Act specifies that any inquiry must be suspended with the issuance of the writ for a general election. As a result, a new request for an opinion on this matter would need to be made by and about an elected member of the next parliament.
Kusendova is currently being sued over the same matter by the ex-boyfriend, Oakville account Grant Gorchynski, who claims the $30,000 was a loan that must be paid back.
The Mississauga MPP says the funds were a gift given to her by her then-boyfriend to pay off student loans with no expectation of repayment.
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The two met in 2018 during discussions over the Hurontario LRT project.
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