Dalton McGuinty asks Auditor-General to investigate controversial immigration grants

From the Globe and Mail (Ontario calls in Auditor-General to probe grant process):

The Ontario government is calling in the provincial Auditor-General to investigate the way its Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration hands out grants.

Premier Dalton McGuinty surprised the legislature today by abruptly changing course after three weeks of refusing requests to look at the process.

“I have just sent a letter to the Auditor-General,” he said after being asked a question by Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory.

He said that the Auditor-General, James McCarter, was asked to investigate the granting of $32-million in year-end grants to 110 immigrant-aid groups and to report by the beginning of July.

[. . .]

But even as he relented on bringing in the Auditor-General, the Premier refused a request by Mr. Tory to ask for the resignation of Citizenship Minister Mike Colle, who has been at the centre of a sustained controversy about the grants.

[. . .]

Read all of Murray Campbell's article.

There is another issue here besides the way in which grants are being handed out. Why does Queens Park rely on ethnic organizations to help immigrants adapt to Canada? Isn't this the kind of thing the government would be better off handling itself? How effective are these organizations in helping immigrants adjust to life here? Do these groups promote Canada's interests or their own ethnic agendas? Even more important: why is Ottawa bringing so many people here in the first place when there is no economic need?

See also:

List of immigration and citizenship grants given to groups with Liberal ties

Ontario slush fund scandal: Sleazebag Liberals play the race card for fun and profit

$200,000 grant to Iranian group with ties to provincial Liberals