Ontario Chief Glen Hare ‘not shocked’ at former Minister Clark’s resignation
TORONTO—Following many calls for his resignation as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the embattled Minister Steve Clark announced his resignation Monday morning in a Tweet on the platform X (formerly Twitter).
“Since the Integrity Commissioner’s was released, I have continued to reflect on my role and my obligations to the people of Ontario,” Mr. Clark wrote. “It has been the greatest honour of my career to serve my constituents and the people of Ontario and I have always tried to do so in a way that beings integrity and respect to my position as a parliamentarian.”
“Currently, Ontario is experiencing the most challenging housing crisis our province has ever faced. When I received the Integrity Commissioner’s report my first instinct was to take responsibility for the mistakes that were made and create a process so that this would never happen again. Thank you for having the confidence in me to be able to correct these issues. I’ve always tried to fulfil the mandate of getting more homes built so that people across Ontario could realize the dream of finding a place to live, work and raise a family.
“However, this crisis demands someone who is not a distraction from the important work that needs to be done. Although my initial thought was that I could stay in this role and establish a proper process so that these mistakes don’t happen again, I realize that my presence will only cause a further distraction from the important work that needs to be done and I need to take accountability for what has transpired. In a parliamentary democracy, the Parliament is supreme, and the legislature will determine my ultimate reprimand. As someone who has given my life to serving the people through our democratic institutions, I feel that it is my responsibility to adhere to the principles of ministerial accountability.
“As such, please accept my resignation as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. I will continue to serve my constituents as the MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.”
A Chiefs of Ontario (COO) emergency chiefs’ assembly last week pertaining to the auditor general’s report saw the chiefs demanding Ontario return all removed Greenbelt land parcels and call for criminal investigation into the land removal.
When contacted for comment Monday morning Ontario Regional Chief Hare said, “Well, should we be surprised? He’s gone. He fought hard. People in Ontario want transparency and accountability and we’re now getting it. When you take the land from farmers, like they did in this case, that’s not being accountable to the people.”
“No one wants to see anyone leave the way the minister has, but it had to happen,” Regional Chief Hare concluded.
On August 28 COO called an emergency chiefs’ assembly to allow for all Ontario First Nations leadership to gather virtually to discuss the auditor general of Ontario’s special report on the Greenbelt, as well as further directions for the COO to undertake with regard to the relationship it has with the provincial government.
During the assembly a resolution was passed by the chiefs-in-assembly that directs the COO to demand that Premier Doug Ford commit to all the recommendations as outlined in the auditor general’s report, including the recommendation to return all land parcels to the Greenbelt immediately.
The resolution also directs the COO to call for a criminal investigation into the manner in which the Greenbelt lands were chosen for removal and the extent to which the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Premier had control over the situation.
During the assembly, the COO’s previous direction was re-confirmed by leadership in that the COO will cease any working relationship with MMAH Minister Steve Clark until further notice, but that work at the technical level within the ministry will continue to allow for optimal progress on First Nations’ housing priorities.
As was continuously reiterated by the COO, First Nations have been given very little, if any, opportunity to be adequately consulted on these changes to the Greenbelt, despite these changes directly affecting First Nations’ inherent, treaty and constitutionally protected rights.
“The Ford government has a strong record of ignoring First Nation voices and treaty rights, as demonstrated with the Williams Treaty,” said Grand Council Chief Reginald Niganobe. “Anyone who cares about democracy, public trust and institutions should be profoundly disturbed by the report and its findings.”’
Several First Nations who are part of the Williams Treaty settlement agreement have existing rights within a large part of the Greenbelt that are recognized, including the rights to harvest, hunting, fishing and gathering. The province’s removal of these lands within and surrounding the Greenbelt areas will directly interfere with those First Nations’ rights.
“Premier Doug Ford and his government must be held accountable to their early promises to ensure the greenbelt remains untouched,” said Ontario Regional Chief Hare. “The province must take into consideration First Nation’s rights and the duty to consult when proposing changes of such a great impact and magnitude.”
“The government needs to give back what they have taken,” stated Regional Chief Hare. “And as I said, they already had enough land for the housing building units they want constructed. The developers won’t go hungry.”
On Wednesday of last week integrity commissioner J. David Wake released a report and related findings that Conservative Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark breached Section 2 and 3.2 of the Member’s Integrity Act, coincidentally the same day the minister was at an event in Little Current, one of his last official duties. It indicated Minister Clark had failed to oversee the process of Greenbelt land selected for development, which led to furthering “the private interests of certain developers.”
The province took 7,400 acres out of the Greenbelt last year with plans to build 50,000 homes on the land and replaced it with about 9,400 acres elsewhere. The integrity commissioner noted it was Minister Clark’s responsibility to supervise the process, and Mr. Wake characterized the actions taken as “chaotic and almost reckless.”
The integrity commissioner recommended to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario that Minister Clark be reprimanded for his failure to comply with the Act.
On Thursday Minister Clark dismissed all calls for him to resign at a press conference, apologizing for his actions instead. “I want to make it very clear to Ontarians that I’m sorry we didn’t do a better job and that I personally didn’t do a better job in terms of the oversight.”
Minister Clark’s statement was made a few hours after Premier Ford reiterated his confidence in him. “I have confidence in Minister Clark. The buck stops with me.”
The COO “wholeheartedly support the findings of the integrity commissioner’s report and encourage the provincial government to undertake a full review of the processes in place which led to the changes to the Greenbelt. The government of Ontario ought to be held accountable for its promises to keep the Greenbelt intact, and its promises to commit to a better and transparent process with regards to consultation on issues of this magnitude,” said Regional Chief Hare.
“The COO remain committed to working with Premier Ford to ensure that his government is held to the appropriate standards and to work together with the province to move forward in remedying this issue in a way that is respective to First Nations’ inherent and treaty rights,” added Regional Chief Hare.
