Mr. Speaker, over the past several weeks, members of the Liberal Party have attacked and denigrated the character and integrity of Julian Fantino, the former commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police and now Conservative candidate in Vaughan.
This is Liberal hypocrisy at its finest, given that it was revealed today that both the Liberal leader and his chief of staff, Peter Donolo, personally tried to recruit Mr. Fantino to run for them. The Liberals wanted Julian Fantino to be their candidate in Vaughan. He was their first choice. In fact, after he said no, the Liberal leader told a radio host in Halifax this morning that his party went to several other people before finally settling on Tony Genco, its fourth or fifth choice.
It is only fair for the people of Vaughan to know that Mr. Fantino was not only the Conservatives' first choice but he was also the Liberals' first choice.