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TORONTO \u2014 Ontario\u2019s integrity commissioner has launched an investigation into Labour Minister David Piccini over the provincial Skills Development Fund.<\/p>\n
Both the provincial New Democrats and Liberals asked integrity commissioner Cathryn Motherwell to investigate Piccini, alleging he has breached ethics rules in handing out skills training funding.<\/p>\n
Piccini has come under fire at Queen\u2019s Park in recent months for his handling of the $2.5-billion fund.<\/p>\n
Various media reports have said that some beneficiaries of the fund are unions that endorsed the Progressive Conservatives in elections and people who have donated to the party.<\/p>\n
One Skills Development Fund recipient, Keel Digital Solutions \u2014 which the minister has said received a lower score \u2014 is being closely scrutinized by critics, as media reports say one of its lobbyists is a close friend of Piccini\u2019s.<\/p>\n
The auditor general found that more than 60 of the lower-scoring applicants were approved after they hired a lobbyist, which had the opposition crying foul over what they call preferential treatment.<\/p>\n
Piccini\u2019s office says it is working with the integrity commissioner. The minister has repeatedly defended his handling of the fund at Queen\u2019s Park.<\/p>\n
Motherwell\u2019s office says it is investigating under the provisions of the Members Integrity Act.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe requests asked the commissioner to determine whether David Piccini, minister of labour, immigration, training and skills development contravened sections of the act and Ontario parliamentary convention in selecting applicants to Rounds 4 and 5 of the Skills Development Fund training stream,\u201d Motherwell\u2019s office said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u00a92025 The Canadian Press<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n