FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
18 December 2025
QUEEN’S PARK — Ontario Liberal MPP Stephanie Smyth, Critic for Ethics, Integrity & Accountability, has released the following statement regarding the Integrity Commissioner’s investigation into the Minister of Labour’s conduct related to the Skills Development Fund.
Today, we learned the Integrity Commissioner has taken on our request to investigate the Minister of Labour’s conduct with regards to the Skills Development Fund.
This is an important first step to getting to the bottom of the rot within the fund.
The Premier and his government are using the Skills Development Fund to reward well-connected insiders, donors, and lobbyists.
This pattern of pay-to-play cannot continue.
At a bare minimum, the Minister should step aside while the investigation is ongoing.
As the critic for Ethics, Integrity & Accountability, my priority has always been clear: preventing the misuse of taxpayer dollars and ensuring those who violate that trust are held accountable.”