OUELLETTE: MCGUINTY MUST DEMAND CAPLAN’S RESIGNATION

Mishandling reveals weak leadership on part of McGuinty

Oshawa – Progressive Conservative MPP Jerry Ouellette today said that Dalton McGuinty must demand the resignation of David Caplan, the minister currently responsible for Ontario’s lottery system, and launched a petition drive to that effect.

“Caplan was aware of the problem for months and did nothing to investigate allegations of millions in ripped-off lottery prizes,” said Ouellette. “Dalton McGuinty and David Caplan were content to let these stories and rumours swirl uninvestigated until they got caught. If they really cared about the lottery-ticket buying public, they would have acted to correct the problems as soon as they became aware.”

Caplan claimed he didn’t become aware of the problems at the OLGC until 10 days before the “Fifth Estate” aired a program called “Luck of the Draw” that detailed how Bob Edmonds and others had lottery tickets stolen and the OLGC did nothing. Media reports have revealed that senior staff members in Caplan’s office were notified of the problems more than six months before the Fifth Estate program aired. Instead of working to fix the problem, top Liberal strategists led an effort to suppress the story.

“A true leader wouldn’t have ducked the problem,” added Ouellette. “A true leader would have acted immediately to ensure that the trust people place in the lottery system was preserved. That won’t happen so long as Dalton McGuinty lets Minister Caplan stay in office.”