Ford government defeats attempt to get tough on gift-giving after controversial party and wedding

A push to put more “teeth” in conflict-of-interest laws for MPPs — after developers attended a stag-and-doe party and wedding for one of Premier Doug Ford’s daughters — has been blocked. Ford’s Progressive Conservative government used its majority Thursday to defeat a private member’s bill from New Democratic Party Leader Marit Stiles by a vote of 71 to 31. The bill would have amended the legislation governing MPP behaviour, known as the Members’ Integrity Act, to make it clear members of the legislative assembly shouldn’t take gifts that could lead to the appearance of a conflict of interest. “It’s really astonishing to me that the government doesn’t want to be held to the same standard,” Stiles told reporters after the vote. As the Members’ Integrity Act is now written, integrity commissioner J. David Wake has said the gift rule “applies only to the member who receives the gift.