Gerry Lougheed Junior no longer chairs the police board in Sudbury or serves as chancellor of the city’s Huntington University. The resignations are the result of charges against Lougheed tied to a by-election scandal in Sudbury last year. It’s alleged Liberal candidate Andrew Olivier was offered a bribe if he let someone else seek the Sudbury nomination. For cooperating, Olivier could get a job or appointment. Lougheed’s lawyer says his client will vigorously defend the charges and adds the high-ranking Liberal has done nothing wrong. After laying the charges, the OPP said at this time no other charges are being considered against anyone else. The Opposition parties wasted no time pouncing on the Lougheed charges in the Legislature. Tory leader Patrick Brown wants the Premier to resign while NDP leader Andrea Horwath says it might come to that. Both want to know who directed Lougheed to allegedly offer Liberal candidate Andrew Olivier an incentive in return for not seeking a nomination. Meanwhile, the only statement Olivier is making following the charges is he’ll cooperate with the authorities.
