Focused on campaign, not on OPP investigation, Olivier says

News that the Ontario Provincial Police has cleared the Ontario Liberal Party of allegations it tried to bribe him in exchange for quitting the race doesn't change a thing, Andrew Olivier said Monday.

The former Liberal – now independent – candidate in Sudbury's Feb. 5 byelection race said his campaign is already focused on the vote.

“I'm not disappointed at all,” Olivier said. “I haven't really been thinking about (the investigation.) We have a job to do now. My head's in the game at this point.”

Olivier made headlines around the province in December when he alleged that Liberal Party officials tried to convince him to quietly withdraw from the race for the Liberal nomination in Sudbury. In exchange, he said he was offered a job or an appointment.

Both the Progressive Conservatives and the New Democrats complained to Elections Ontario, because if true, it would be a criminal breach of the province's Elections Act. OPP Sgt. Peter Leon said they received complaints Dec. 15 from both parties.

The matter was referred to the OPP's anti-rackets branch, which deals with allegations of political corruption, Leon said.

“Our investigation has concluded,” he said. “We've been able to determine no criminal offence was committed. We are no longer investigating this matter.”

Leon said police conducted interviews with everyone involved in the case and concluded there had been no criminal activity.

“So it's closed. It's complete. That's it.”

The investigation centred on Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne's decision to appoint former NDP MP Glenn Thibeault as her party's candidate in the byelection. Wynne has insisted that she and others who talked to Olivier only wanted to keep him involved with the party and denied he was offered anything.

But NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said Monday even if charges aren't filed, the stench of backroom deals like the one orchestrated to get Thibeault to defect to the Liberals will linger during the byelection.

“It's pretty clear that Mr. Olivier was offered opportunities by Liberals, by Kathleen Wynne and her Liberal operatives, to not run,” Horwath said. “It might not be a criminal matter when it comes to the OPP's perspective, but I do believe, and I think the people of Sudbury would agree, that it is a huge integrity issue.

“Whether or not it's criminal, it certainly has been an eye-opener when it comes to the integrity of the premier – the lack thereof – as well as Mr. Thibeault.”

For his part, Olivier said he and his team are focused on getting their campaign off the ground.

“You have to respect whatever decision was made,” he said. “Everybody in the campaign office knows we have a job to do, and that's the most important thing we're concentrating on right now.”