Durham officer faces racing charge
Aug 14, 2009 02:20 PM
Jasmeet Sidhu
Staff Reporter
The Ontario Provincial Police have charged a Durham police officer after an unmarked police car was found going at least 50 km/h over the speed limit near Peterborough Tuesday evening.
Police say that they were monitoring by air the speed of motor vehicles travelling on Hwy. 115 in Cavan Monaghan Township in Peterborough County when, at around 5:30 p.m., they noticed a car speeding northbound on the highway.
The car was going at least 50 km/h over the speed limit.
"We can't say the exact speed; that forms part of the evidence which is now before the court," said Const. Peter Leon.
Once stopped, police say they determined the car was an unmarked police vehicle registered to Durham police.
A 34-year-old man, an officer with Durham police for 10 years, has been charged with racing a motor vehicle, and has had his driver's license suspended.
The OPP also impounded the vehicle for seven days.
Toronto Star
critter cartoon
Friday, August 14, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
OPP officer charged with discreditable conduct!
August 12, 2009
The Canadian Press
ORILLIA – A veteran Ontario Provincial Police officer at the centre of a criminal corruption scandal has been charged with discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act.
The charge relates to an alleged 2002 meeting in Montreal that OPP Sgt. Mike Rutigliano is accused of having "arranged and attended with members and associates of the Rizzuto traditional crime group, regarding a jewellery store in Woodbridge, Ontario.”
"When questioned on or about February 19, 2004 as to your relationship with Vito Rizzuto, you provided false and misleading answers stating, 'I do not know the man, I have never met the man, I have never spoken to the man, I have never communicated with the man either in writing or electronically, nor have I ever had any association with him, directly, or indirectly.’"
Rizzuto is considered Canada's top mob boss and is currently serving a prison sentence in the United States in connection with gangland killings.
In October 2002, when the Montreal meeting is alleged to have occurred, Rutigliano was working out of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission, where he had been since 1996.
The 50-year-old sergeant, who is suspended from the force, made his first appearance this morning at the OPP's general headquarters.
He declined to comment.
Insp. Charles Young asked the matter be put over until Sept. 28 at which time an "external prosecutor" will have been appointed and prepared to proceed.
Outside headquarters, Toronto defence lawyer Owen Wigderson said his client is not guilty of the charges though no plea was entered today.
"The timing of these allegations is certainly thought-provoking," Wigderson said.
"But until all of these cases are over, everything that I have to say in my client's defence is going to be said in a courtroom."
Earlier this year, Rutigliano was released on bail after he was charged with corruption and obstruction of justice offences in connection with three separate investigations.
Rutigliano, who joined the provincial service in 1981, was working as the OPP's court case manager within the Toronto court system when the offences allegedly occurred.
In one set of charges, Rutigliano is alleged to have interfered in the sexual assault prosecution of former Steelback Brewery CEO Frank D'Angelo.
D'Angelo was acquitted of assaulting a business associate's 22-year-old daughter. He has been charged with obstruction of justice and attempting to obstruct justice.
In 2004, Rutigliano was found guilty under the PSA of discreditable conduct for making a threat to a former business associate.
Two years earlier, York Regional Police charged Rutigliano with "threat to property," though the charge was withdrawn and the file relating to the matter destroyed.
The OPP officer is also charged with an alleged $15 million fraud targeting Bombardier Inc.
In a third set of charges, Rutigliano is charged with helping Peter Mavroudis — a con artist who has thrice been convicted of taking money in return for non-existent tickets to Maple Leafs games — "avoid prosecution in Ontario."
The Spec
The Canadian Press
ORILLIA – A veteran Ontario Provincial Police officer at the centre of a criminal corruption scandal has been charged with discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act.
The charge relates to an alleged 2002 meeting in Montreal that OPP Sgt. Mike Rutigliano is accused of having "arranged and attended with members and associates of the Rizzuto traditional crime group, regarding a jewellery store in Woodbridge, Ontario.”
"When questioned on or about February 19, 2004 as to your relationship with Vito Rizzuto, you provided false and misleading answers stating, 'I do not know the man, I have never met the man, I have never spoken to the man, I have never communicated with the man either in writing or electronically, nor have I ever had any association with him, directly, or indirectly.’"
Rizzuto is considered Canada's top mob boss and is currently serving a prison sentence in the United States in connection with gangland killings.
In October 2002, when the Montreal meeting is alleged to have occurred, Rutigliano was working out of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission, where he had been since 1996.
The 50-year-old sergeant, who is suspended from the force, made his first appearance this morning at the OPP's general headquarters.
He declined to comment.
Insp. Charles Young asked the matter be put over until Sept. 28 at which time an "external prosecutor" will have been appointed and prepared to proceed.
Outside headquarters, Toronto defence lawyer Owen Wigderson said his client is not guilty of the charges though no plea was entered today.
"The timing of these allegations is certainly thought-provoking," Wigderson said.
"But until all of these cases are over, everything that I have to say in my client's defence is going to be said in a courtroom."
Earlier this year, Rutigliano was released on bail after he was charged with corruption and obstruction of justice offences in connection with three separate investigations.
Rutigliano, who joined the provincial service in 1981, was working as the OPP's court case manager within the Toronto court system when the offences allegedly occurred.
In one set of charges, Rutigliano is alleged to have interfered in the sexual assault prosecution of former Steelback Brewery CEO Frank D'Angelo.
D'Angelo was acquitted of assaulting a business associate's 22-year-old daughter. He has been charged with obstruction of justice and attempting to obstruct justice.
In 2004, Rutigliano was found guilty under the PSA of discreditable conduct for making a threat to a former business associate.
Two years earlier, York Regional Police charged Rutigliano with "threat to property," though the charge was withdrawn and the file relating to the matter destroyed.
The OPP officer is also charged with an alleged $15 million fraud targeting Bombardier Inc.
In a third set of charges, Rutigliano is charged with helping Peter Mavroudis — a con artist who has thrice been convicted of taking money in return for non-existent tickets to Maple Leafs games — "avoid prosecution in Ontario."
The Spec
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Promised eHealth outside review a sham: NDP
The government has some explaining to do amid revelations that a promised, and then cancelled, independent review of scandal-plagued eHealth Ontario never got underway, the opposition parties said Monday.
Documents obtained by the New Democrats under Freedom of Information laws show no contract was ever signed for PricewaterhouseCoopers to begin a third-party review of the agency — a fact verified by both eHealth and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
"There was no contract in place, the board never reached the point where it signed a contract with [PricewaterhouseCoopers] for the specific audit," said Dianna Allen, a senior vice-president with eHealth, adding that preliminary discussions with the agency suggested there would be too much duplication with an upcoming report by Ontario's auditor general.
"When looking at value for money, it was not the best course of action."
A PricewaterhouseCoopers spokeswoman said the company "wasn't engaged with them [eHealth] whatsoever."
The Liberal government has said it cancelled the review because it would have duplicated efforts by Ontario's auditor general, who is also probing the agency.
But NDP critic France Gelinas said the newly released documents show the government never planned to go ahead with the independent report, and added that Health Minister David Caplan and Premier Dalton McGuinty have some explaining to do after suggesting in the legislature that the review was underway and that results could be expected by the end of the summer.
"Their line of defence was always: 'We will go to the bottom of this, we have retained the best third-party, PricewaterhouseCoopers,'" Gelinas said.
Promised review 'empty rhetoric'
"Then, in the middle of the summer, we learn that basically, it was all empty — they haven't done anything, they were not going to expect anything out of them, it was all empty rhetoric."
Gelinas said Caplan and McGuinty "needed to defend themselves so they used those lines, but those lines misled us in the house, they misled Ontarians, and they misled all of the taxpayers."
Caplan had called the PricewaterhouseCoopers review "an additional layer of oversight," and said in the legislature he looked "forward to the recommendations and insights they might have on ways in which we can strengthen the financial controls and the management practices at eHealth."
McGuinty had also fended off questions in the legislature, saying in June: "I think we need to wait for the report coming from PricewaterhouseCoopers. We need to wait for the information and the advice to come from the auditor."
Progressive Conservative Lisa MacLeod, who wants to bring eHealth in front of a sub-committee for all-party questioning, said the lack of any contract showed the whole process was "a smokescreen to save the minister's job."
"It's going to be important, when they return, to fully explain themselves," she said.
"What better way to do that than by acknowledging there is rot at eHealth and that all members of this legislature should have an opportunity, as well as their constituents, to find out how deep that rot is."
The government had said PricewaterhouseCoopers would look into procurement practices at the provincial agency, which is working to create electronic health records for Ontario residents, and would report back this summer.
The plan was quietly cancelled by Caplan last month, after eHealth's board suggested dropping the outside review.
The Health Ministry has said the government has already introduced new procurement rules for all agencies and ministries, the same practices the review would have looked into.
Review dropped at auditor's request
A spokesman for the ministry wouldn't comment on the specifics of any contract Monday, but noted the government was acting on the advice of the auditor and the board of directors.
The additional review was dropped, he said, "mostly because the auditor said it would be a duplication of services," said spokesman Greg Dennis.
"Looking back at it, it obviously was a wise and prudent decision and it didn't cost any money."
Provincial Auditor General James McCarter will report on his investigation of eHealth in September.
In a June 29 letter to the eHealth board, the auditor pointed out that his efforts would duplicate the work of PricewaterhouseCoopers, but added: "Clearly, the decision to engage [PricewaterhouseCoopers] is the board's and the minister's to make."
The latest details are just the latest of a series facts about the scandal that led to the resignation of former eHealth CEO Sarah Kramer and former board chair Dr. Alan Hudson in June, after the Conservatives and New Democrats complained the agency gave out $5 million in untendered contracts to consulting companies.
Documents released by the government since then showed the value of those untendered contracts was closer to $16 million, with the biggest ones going to companies the opposition parties say have ties to the Liberal government.
EHealth was set up last year to create electronic health records after the first provincial agency given that task, Smart Systems for Health, spent $650 million but failed to produce anything of lasting value before it was quietly shut down last September.
CBC.CA
Documents obtained by the New Democrats under Freedom of Information laws show no contract was ever signed for PricewaterhouseCoopers to begin a third-party review of the agency — a fact verified by both eHealth and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
"There was no contract in place, the board never reached the point where it signed a contract with [PricewaterhouseCoopers] for the specific audit," said Dianna Allen, a senior vice-president with eHealth, adding that preliminary discussions with the agency suggested there would be too much duplication with an upcoming report by Ontario's auditor general.
"When looking at value for money, it was not the best course of action."
A PricewaterhouseCoopers spokeswoman said the company "wasn't engaged with them [eHealth] whatsoever."
The Liberal government has said it cancelled the review because it would have duplicated efforts by Ontario's auditor general, who is also probing the agency.
But NDP critic France Gelinas said the newly released documents show the government never planned to go ahead with the independent report, and added that Health Minister David Caplan and Premier Dalton McGuinty have some explaining to do after suggesting in the legislature that the review was underway and that results could be expected by the end of the summer.
"Their line of defence was always: 'We will go to the bottom of this, we have retained the best third-party, PricewaterhouseCoopers,'" Gelinas said.
Promised review 'empty rhetoric'
"Then, in the middle of the summer, we learn that basically, it was all empty — they haven't done anything, they were not going to expect anything out of them, it was all empty rhetoric."
Gelinas said Caplan and McGuinty "needed to defend themselves so they used those lines, but those lines misled us in the house, they misled Ontarians, and they misled all of the taxpayers."
Caplan had called the PricewaterhouseCoopers review "an additional layer of oversight," and said in the legislature he looked "forward to the recommendations and insights they might have on ways in which we can strengthen the financial controls and the management practices at eHealth."
McGuinty had also fended off questions in the legislature, saying in June: "I think we need to wait for the report coming from PricewaterhouseCoopers. We need to wait for the information and the advice to come from the auditor."
Progressive Conservative Lisa MacLeod, who wants to bring eHealth in front of a sub-committee for all-party questioning, said the lack of any contract showed the whole process was "a smokescreen to save the minister's job."
"It's going to be important, when they return, to fully explain themselves," she said.
"What better way to do that than by acknowledging there is rot at eHealth and that all members of this legislature should have an opportunity, as well as their constituents, to find out how deep that rot is."
The government had said PricewaterhouseCoopers would look into procurement practices at the provincial agency, which is working to create electronic health records for Ontario residents, and would report back this summer.
The plan was quietly cancelled by Caplan last month, after eHealth's board suggested dropping the outside review.
The Health Ministry has said the government has already introduced new procurement rules for all agencies and ministries, the same practices the review would have looked into.
Review dropped at auditor's request
A spokesman for the ministry wouldn't comment on the specifics of any contract Monday, but noted the government was acting on the advice of the auditor and the board of directors.
The additional review was dropped, he said, "mostly because the auditor said it would be a duplication of services," said spokesman Greg Dennis.
"Looking back at it, it obviously was a wise and prudent decision and it didn't cost any money."
Provincial Auditor General James McCarter will report on his investigation of eHealth in September.
In a June 29 letter to the eHealth board, the auditor pointed out that his efforts would duplicate the work of PricewaterhouseCoopers, but added: "Clearly, the decision to engage [PricewaterhouseCoopers] is the board's and the minister's to make."
The latest details are just the latest of a series facts about the scandal that led to the resignation of former eHealth CEO Sarah Kramer and former board chair Dr. Alan Hudson in June, after the Conservatives and New Democrats complained the agency gave out $5 million in untendered contracts to consulting companies.
Documents released by the government since then showed the value of those untendered contracts was closer to $16 million, with the biggest ones going to companies the opposition parties say have ties to the Liberal government.
EHealth was set up last year to create electronic health records after the first provincial agency given that task, Smart Systems for Health, spent $650 million but failed to produce anything of lasting value before it was quietly shut down last September.
CBC.CA
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Barrie officer charged!
Posted By IAN MCINROY
Posted 8 days ago
A Barrie police officer is facing criminal charges after an investigation by the OPP.
Const. Bruce Gardiner has been charged with one count of criminal harassment and one count of voyeurism, both Criminal Code offences.
The four-year member of the service has been suspended from duty with pay as a result of the charges.
Barrie police released news of the charges yesterday morning.
Chief Wayne Frechette said Gardiner has been charged and released on bail.
"I assume with conditions probably to stay away from whoever the victim is. I don't know who that is," he said.
"Anytime any of our people are charged, it is not a happy event. He is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law."
Frechette said Gardiner is a familiar face in the downtown area.
"He was doing downtown foot patrol on dayshifts and he's probably known by a good many downtown residents and business owners. He's a personable and outgoing guy," the chief said.
OPP Const. Peter Leon said he could not comment on the case.
"The OPP is not in a position to speak directly to the media release as the matter is before the courts at this time," he said.
Under Section 162 of the Criminal Code, voyeurism is described as anyone who commits an offence who surreptitiously observes -- by mechanical or electronic means and makes a visual recording -- a person who is in circumstances where they have an expectation of privacy.
Anyone who commits voyeurism is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction
Under Section 264 of the Criminal Code, harassment is described as engaging in activity that causes other people to fear for their safety or the safety of anyone known to them or repeatedly following the other person from place to place or repeatedly communicating with, either directly or indirectly, the other person.
Under the Criminal Code, anyone who commits harassment is guilty of an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or an offence punishable on summary conviction.
The Barrie Examiner
Posted 8 days ago
A Barrie police officer is facing criminal charges after an investigation by the OPP.
Const. Bruce Gardiner has been charged with one count of criminal harassment and one count of voyeurism, both Criminal Code offences.
The four-year member of the service has been suspended from duty with pay as a result of the charges.
Barrie police released news of the charges yesterday morning.
Chief Wayne Frechette said Gardiner has been charged and released on bail.
"I assume with conditions probably to stay away from whoever the victim is. I don't know who that is," he said.
"Anytime any of our people are charged, it is not a happy event. He is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law."
Frechette said Gardiner is a familiar face in the downtown area.
"He was doing downtown foot patrol on dayshifts and he's probably known by a good many downtown residents and business owners. He's a personable and outgoing guy," the chief said.
OPP Const. Peter Leon said he could not comment on the case.
"The OPP is not in a position to speak directly to the media release as the matter is before the courts at this time," he said.
Under Section 162 of the Criminal Code, voyeurism is described as anyone who commits an offence who surreptitiously observes -- by mechanical or electronic means and makes a visual recording -- a person who is in circumstances where they have an expectation of privacy.
Anyone who commits voyeurism is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction
Under Section 264 of the Criminal Code, harassment is described as engaging in activity that causes other people to fear for their safety or the safety of anyone known to them or repeatedly following the other person from place to place or repeatedly communicating with, either directly or indirectly, the other person.
Under the Criminal Code, anyone who commits harassment is guilty of an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or an offence punishable on summary conviction.
The Barrie Examiner
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