Prominent developers, provincial appointees and a lobbyist working for a company pushing for more development in the Greenbelt were invited and attended a $150 per ticket stag and doe (pre-wedding event to help the soon-to-be-newlyweds raise money) held for Doug Ford’s daughter at the Ford family residence on August 11, 2022. 750 guests were reportedly invited. One source told Global News their invitation came with a request to make a donation to the couple of up to $1,000.
Guest list and seating chart
Since the Ford government was elected, attendees of the stag and doe party and the September 25, 2022 wedding, which Ford called personal family friends, have benefited from:
- 18 Ministerial Zoning Orders (MZOs) given to developers who attended Premier Doug Ford’s daughter’s wedding in August 2022 – as many as the previous Liberal government issued over 15 years according to the NDP
- Several of their properties being of the 15 which were removed from the Greenbelt by the Ford government
- Appointments to various high-ranking public positions
| Name | Role and organization | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Madeleine Bodenstein | Realtor and Funeral Director | 6 months after she sat at the Premier’s table, she was appointed to the Death Investigation Oversight Council. It is part-time and pays up to $200 per day. She was also appointed to the York Regional Police Services Board, which received a $9,869 honorarium in 2023. Since 2014, she’s given $15,363 to the party, various riding associations and candidates. |
| Shakir Rehmatullah | President of Flato Developments | Granted 9 Ministerial Zoning Orders between 2020 and 2022. 4 in 2021 on the border of Markham-Stouffville to fast-track development on land that sits adjacent to a Greenbelt parcel. Another in 2021 to fast-track and develop a 115-hectare parcel of land into a mixed-use community with a diversity of housing options in Lindsay, near the Kawartha Lakes. Stakes in 2 small parcels totalling about 23 acres near Markham and Whitchurch-Stouffville that were removed from the Greenbelt for development. Bought 102-acre parcel of land in Markham in 2017 for $15M owned through his company Flato Upper Markham Village Inc., one of the 15 properties removed from the Greenbelt to be developed. The property was subdivided and 29.5 hectares sold to Torca UMV Inc. for $62M in April 2023. |
| Carmine Nigro | Former vice-chair of the PC Ontario Fund, the party’s fundraising arm Part-time Chair of Ontario Place Corporation and the LCBO President and CEO of Craft Development Corp | Craft Development Corp granted one Ministerial Zoning Order since the Ford government was elected for a project in Lindsay in 2020 to build 500 homes, and a 100,000-square foot commercial building. Appointed part-time Chair of the LCBO by Ford government in April 2019, renewed April 2022. Appointed Chair of the Ontario Place Corporation by Ford government March 4, 2022 and is the only member of the board of directors. |
| Mario Cortellucci | President of Cortel Group | Family’s companies granted 6 Ministerial Zoning Orders for properties in Vaughan, Innisfil and Caledon since the Ford government was elected. The fast-tracked projects include a warehouse and distribution centre and mixed-use (residential and commercial) developments. Members of the Cortellucci family donated more than $12,000 to Ford’s PC leadership campaign, according to Elections Ontario records. Family owns 600 acres of property near the planned route for Highway 413, a 60-kilometre highway project revived by the Ford government, which would connect Milton to Vaughan but pave 400 acres of the Greenbelt. Less than a month after he sat at the Premier’s table, he was appointed to the York Region Police Services Board in October for a 3-year term. |
| Nico Fidani-Diker | Former executive assistant of Doug Ford and political aide of his late brother Rob Ford Lobbyist for a developer pushing the province to redesignate Greenbelt land to build homes | Lobbyist for a Rice Group and Lakeview Community Partners pushing the province to redesignate Greenbelt land to build homes Granted 2 Ministerial Zoning Orders for projects in Caledon and Mississauga since the Ford government was elected. |
| Sergio Manchia | Owns a property in Hamilton that was one of the 15 properties removed from the Greenbelt. | |
| Matt Johnston | Sergio Manchia’s associate | Acted as a planner for a client who owned a 78-acre piece of land in Grimsby, Ont and requested that parcel be removed from the Greenbelt Oct. 6, and a similar request for Sergio Manchia’s property. Both properties were included in the 15 removals from the Greenbelt. |
| Ron Taverner | Toronto police superintendent in Etobicoke and longtime family friend of Premier Ford | Appointed commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police by the Ford government who bowed out of the appointment process when it was reported that the job qualifications had been lowered to allow him to apply. |
| Chris Bratty | Remington Group | |
| Peter Cortellucci? | ||
| Stefano Cortellucci? |
Timeline
November 3, 2023 – Approximately 750 guests were invited to the party
November 2, 2023 – NDP leader Marit Stiles tables Bill 148 to strengthen the Members’ Integrity Act to expand the definition of “family” to include adult children, siblings and parents
Expanding the definition of family
After the Integrity Commissioner’s opinion on the stag and doe party noted that the appearance of a conflict of interest is not addressed by the Members’ Integrity Act, Bill 100 would change the act:
“family”, when used with reference to a person, means,
(a) his or her spouse and minor children, and(a) his or her spouse, children, siblings and parents, and(b) any other adult who is related to the person or his or her spouse, shares a residence with the person and is primarily dependent on the person or spouse for financial support; (“famille”)
Section 1 of the Members’ Integrity Act
Allow the Integrity Commissioner to conduct investigations without first receiving a request from a MPP
When a matter is referred to the Commissioner under section 30When a matter is referred to the Commissioner under section 30, or if the Commissioner otherwise determines that it is appropriate to do so.
Section 31 of the Members’ Integrity Act
October 30, 2023 – NDP says 18 Ministerial Zoning Orders (MZOs) given to developers who attended Premier Doug Ford’s daughter’s wedding in August 2022, as many as the Liberals issued in 15 years
The controversial tool is used to sidestep municipal officials and speed up building projects. Friends of the premier and the party have benefitted.
- 9 between 2020 and 2022 to Shakir Rehmatullah, who sat at Table 12
- 6 to Mario Cortellicci, who sat at Table 10 with Doug Ford
- 2 to Nico Fidani-Diker’s development enterprises
- 1 in 2020 to Carmine Nigro, who sat at Table 10 with Doug Ford
September 21, 2023 – Integrity Commissioner finds Chair of the PC party’s fundraising arm ‘PC Ontario Fund’ Tony Miele sold about 20 tickets to the party, but says there are ‘insufficient grounds’ to conduct a full investigation
I found it interesting that Mr. Manchia stated that the tickets to the stag and doe were purchased from Tony Miele who is the Chair of the PC Ontario Fund, the fundraising arm of the Ontario PC Party.
I interviewed Mr. Miele who told me that he is a friend of the Ford family and that he was approached by the premier’s future son-in-law, whom he referred to by name, to assist in selling some tickets to the event. He agreed to do so and sold approximately 20 tickets including the ones he sent to Mr. Manchia.
Mr. Miele insisted that he did this to help the couple and that his involvement was wholly unrelated to his duties on behalf of the Fund.
Regardless of any connection between Mr. Rehmatullah, Mr. Manchia and Premier Ford as reflected by their participation in the Ford family events, I have found during the Clark inquiry that Premier Ford did not participate in the selection of properties to be removed from the Greenbelt and was not briefed until immediately before Minister Clark presented the matter to cabinet.
Integrity Commissioner
What the heck is the head of the PC fundraising arm doing selling tickets to Doug Ford’s wealthy elite developer friends to a stag and doe party for his children?
Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner
I have explained previously the ‘reasonable and probable grounds’ threshold that the (Members’ Integrity) Act requires for me to commence an inquiry
It is a higher bar than many members of the public and many members realize, requiring more than having a ‘reasonable suspicion.
April 17, 2023 – NDP leader Marit Stiles tables Bill 100 to strengthen Members’ Integrity Act to include appearance of a conflict of interest when accepting gifts
After the Integrity Commissioner’s opinion on the stag and doe party noted that the appearance of a conflict of interest is not addressed by the Members’ Integrity Act, Bill 100 would change the act:
From:
A member of the Assembly shall not accept a fee, gift or personal benefit that is connected directly or indirectly with the performance of his or her duties of office.
Section 6 of the Member’s Integrity Act
To:
A member of the Assembly shall not accept a fee, gift or personal benefit that might reasonably be seen to have been given in connection, directly or indirectly, with the performance of the member’s duties of office.
March 16, 2023 – Integrity Commissioner opinion finds no evidence of wrongdoing by Ford since Ford said he “stayed clear” of planning it, had “no knowledge of gifts”, and there was “no discussion of government business” and appearance of conflict of interest rules do not apply to MPPs
NOTE: An MPP asking the integrity commissioner for an opinion (Section 28 of the Member’s Integrity Act) is different from requesting an official investigation/inquiry (Section 31 of the Member’s Integrity Act) which can only be started by a complaint by another MPP. “To a large extent, the opinion … is only as good as the information provided to me by the member or their staff” according to the Integrity Commissioner.
The Integrity Commissioner’s opinion is based primarily on what Ford told him while not under oath. Ford had told him that long-term family friends were attending has daughter’s wedding and he had no knowledge of any money they gave to his daughter.
Open Council commentary
- Ford to IC: Is it okay to invite developer friends to my daughter’s wedding?
- IC to Ford: A member may invite friends who happen to be stakeholders to a party. Did you receive any money from guests?
- Ford to IC: No.
- IC to Ford: Nothing you’ve told me indicates non-compliance with the Members’ Integrity Act.
- Ford to Public: The Integrity Commissioner has cleared me 100%!
Gifts to child and their spouse do not break the gift rule, only gifts to the Member:
The only question that matters is whether Premier Ford himself received any funds. This is similar to the so-called “cash for access” cases I decided several years ago. In those matters contributions were made to the Liberal Party of Ontario for private dinners at which cabinet
ministers were in attendance. I held in one case that I was “not able to conclude that the attendees of the Event gave a gift or personal benefit to the Ministers because there was no evidence that the donated money was ever in either Minister’s possession or control.”
Therefore the gift rule was not offended.
While public servants and lobbyists must avoid the “appearance of a conflict of interest”, the Members’ Integrity Act does not apply this to MPPs:
Ontario public servants are subject to the Conflict of Interest Rules which require that a public servant “shall endeavour to avoid
creating the appearance that preferential treatment is being given to a person or entity that could benefit from it”.Similarly lobbyists are restricted from, in the course of lobbying a public office holder, knowingly placing the public office holder in a position of real or potential conflict.
However this is not the case for members of provincial parliament as I discovered in one of the first reports I issued.
February 23, 2023 – Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles requests the Integrity Commissioner’s opinion on whether the Premier has violated the Members’ Integrity Act concerning two Ford family events
February 15, 2023 – Premier Ford says “no one can influence the Fords”, says “the boys [son-in-law and the man’s friends] took care of [the money]”
You’ve got to be kidding
We’ve known tens of thousands of people over the years and I don’t sit there with a checklist as they’re coming through the door
I can tell you this is the first time in Canadian history that you go after any premier’s family, which used to be an unwritten rule that you don’t do that,
But I guess when it comes to us, there are different rules, and, in my opinion, it’s absolutely ridiculous.
No one can influence the Fords. No one.
Premier Doug Ford
February 10, 2023 – Premier Ford says the party was cleared by the Integrity Commissioner 1000%
I know the difference of what we should and shouldn’t do
Our family has been in politics for 30 years, we know tens of thousands of people, and I went to the integrity commissioner — he cleared it 1,000 per cent, not 999, (but) 1000 per cent
Premier Doug Ford
I went to the integrity commissioner, he cleared it 1,000 per cent
It’s really personal and this is my daughter’s wedding and it’s the first time that’s ever come out in Canadian history, someone asking about someone’s daughter’s wedding. But anyways, it was cleared with the integrity commissioner.
Premier Doug Ford to reporters when asked about the stag and doe at a news conference in Oshweken, Ont
January 25, 2023 – Integrity Commissioner informs Premier Ford that Members’ Integrity Act does not apply to gifts to a Member’s child or their spouse
The gift rule in section 6 of the Act is very specific. It applies only to the member who receives the gift. It does not apply to gifts received from third parties to an adult child of the member or her spouse. Even the definition of “family” in the Act is restricted to the member, the member’s spouse and minor children.
January 25, 2023 – Premier Ford contacts Integrity Commissioner for their opinion after being asked questions about the stag and doe by the media
Premier Ford’s staff contacted my office concerning a media inquiry they had received and asked to arrange a call between Premier Ford and myself with respect to it. They provided me with a copy of the media inquiry.
Essentially, the reporter wanted to know the following: whether four developers, whom he named, and two sons of one of the developers attended the wedding reception of the Premier’s daughter; were any developers or lobbyists invited to attend a stag and doe or pre-wedding celebration, and whether any of them contributed financially to the wedding at the stag and doe, or provided gifts at the wedding.
Further, the reporter wanted to know if any government business relating to “development policies” or “the Greenbelt land swap” was discussed between Premier Ford, his staff, and developers and lobbyists at the wedding or the stag and doe.
Integrity Commissioner
January 24, 2023 – Journalist Charlie Pinkerton questions Ford’s office about the stag and doe party
Critical reception
I am concerned that invitees felt pressured to contribute to the Premier’s family fundraiser, particularly as some invitees felt they weren’t being asked as “friends” of the Premier – but as government stakeholders — and feared impacts on their professional reputations and working relationships with the government.
Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles
With respect to the Ford government’s relationship with the developers, I think the lines have blurred. He’s mistaken these individuals who are stakeholders and partners in homebuilding as friends. And we see that while Ontarians are suffering, and they’re facing an affordability crisis, there are people who are getting ahead, and the Ford government has chosen to reward their rich friends who have enriched their party. And these are paybacks and favours given to a very small group, a very elite group of wealthy developers that are invited to the Ford government’s daughter’s stag and doe parties, to the stags, the showers, the weddings.
Ontario Liberal Party leader Bonnie Crombie
Sources
- Second of Ford’s tablemates at daughter’s wedding picked for York police board – The Trillium (2023)
- Ford cleared by integrity commissioner after questions raised about developers attending daughter’s stag and doe – CTV News (2023)
- Insiders, government appointees also attended Doug Ford’s daughter’s wedding – Toronto Star (2023)
- Integrity commissioner clears Doug Ford after developers attend daughter’s stag and doe – Global News (2023)
- Integrity commissioner explains controversial opinion that ‘cleared’ Doug Ford – The Trillium
- Crombie Calls for LCBO Chair to Resign Over Close Ties to Doug Ford – Ontario Liberal Party (2024)
- Ontario developers who benefitted from Ford government decisions on Greenbelt and MZOs dined with the premier at his daughter’s wedding – Toronto Star (2023)
- Developer guests at Doug Ford family wedding got fast-track zoning approvals from government | CBC News (2023)
- NDP seeks new ethics investigation into Ford daughter’s wedding events – The Trillium (2023)
- Doug Ford cancels controversial $8.28-billion Greenbelt land swap: ‘It was a mistake’ (2023)
- No investigation into Ford’s daughter’s wedding, developer connections: integrity commissioner | CTV News (2023)
- Ford wedding guests received as many zoning orders as Liberals issued over 15 years: NDP | Globalnews.ca (2023)
- Ford’s cop friend dissuaded Toronto police from staffing stag and doe: emails – Barrie News (2023)
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