(editor's note:  Olivia Chow issued this press release today.)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 8, 2009

 Olivia Chow calls for federal investigation into alleged Toronto Port Authority Board misconduct

 OTTAWA-In a letter to the Auditor General Friday, New Democrat GTA Critic Olivia Chow (Trinity-Spadina) asked the department to conduct an audit in response to alleged misconduct of some Toronto Port Authority Board members.

 Four of the nine Toronto Port Authority Board members filed the original misconduct complaints against other members and the latest round were filed with the Minister of Transport, John Baird in March.

 The complaints include repeated interference from the previous Minister's office, repeated examples where a conflict of interest was ignored by some members, expenses being paid without appropriate knowledge or authority of the board, and ignoring standing policy to pay $65,000 to a law firm retained by a few board members who then held onto the legal advice exclusively. 

 "We know Mr. Baird pays close attention to the Toronto Port Authority as he was at the Toronto ports just this past April promoting private investment on the land, but he has been very quiet on investigating this issue" said Olivia Chow. "It is time we appeal to the Auditor General to conduct an audit of the Board to get to the bottom of the misconduct allegations" added Chow.

 The call for this investigation comes on the heels of revelations that current Minister of Natural Resources, Lisa Raitt filed almost $80,000 in travel expenses while in her previous role as Toronto Port Authority CEO; all the while the TPA was running a deficit.

 "It seems the Toronto Port Authority Board has a history of questionable behaviour and this is just the latest example” said Chow. “It is time we re-think the way the Toronto Ports are managed and in light of any misconduct, give the land back to Toronto" Chow added.