Lashing out at the lingering cloud of suspicion over him during an interview on CBC News Network’s Power & Politics, Del Mastro insisted he has done nothing wrong and expressed confidence he will be exonerated. Court documents filed by Elections Canada have suggested he exceeded his 2008 election campaign expense limit and that he filed a false document.

“I’ve been patient because I’ve been waiting for Elections Canada to go through the evidence I’ve provided. I’ve answered every question they’ve asked, I’ve provided every piece of evidence that they’ve requested. I’ve had absolutely nothing to hide from them in any regard,” he told P & P host Evan Solomon. “Some months ago, they indicated to us that they had completed the investigation and still, here we are with no word from Elections Canada.”

An email from Elections Canada to Del Mastro’s lawyer Jeffrey Ayotte, dated April 8, 2013 and provided to Power & Politics, confirms the probe was nearly finished.

“Our investigation is virtually complete, although odds and ends can still be found to follow up. The matter is going to the Commissioner for review and consideration now. I cannot predict how long that process will take,” the note from Al Mathews reads.

But it’s far from clear that report will vindicate Del Mastro. Yves Côté, the commissioner of Canada Elections, has two options: he could accept the report, or he could refer the report to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who could then decide to lay charges.

In a statement a day after word emerged of McGuinty’s planned resignation, he thanked his family, friends and colleagues, and said leaving politics came at an “opportune time” with the end of the session in the provincial legislature.

“I leave politics with my idealism intact and a deep sense of gratitude for the opportunity to have served in public life,” said McGuinty.

The former premier departs Queen’s Park after nine years on the job and 16 as leader of the Ontario Liberals. He led the Liberals to two majority governments — in 2003 and 2007 — but was left with a minority government after the 2011 election.

Wynne, while speaking on CBC’s Metro Morning, said McGuinty’s legacy should not be defined by the recent scandal, and her minority Liberal government is “building on the foundation” laid by her predecessor.

“He is leaving after having done years of service to the people of Ontario,” Wynne told host Matt Galloway. “I’m proud to have been part of his government.”
McGuinty is a central figure in the Liberals’ decision to cancel two gas plant projects, one in Oakville and another in Mississauga. They have cost taxpayers an estimated $575 million.

“I encourage anyone who is being asked to come and speak at the committee that they do that, and that certainly has been my advice to Dalton and any of his staff,” she said.

McGuinty had only shown up in the legislature twice since he was replaced by Wynne in February — both times for confidence votes — but did not attend Tuesday’s vote on the minority government’s budget,which passed with support from the New Democrats.

McGuinty said the Ontario Liberals called a nomination meeting to elect a new candidate for Ottawa South late last month and a vote was scheduled for June 20.

His office later clarified the total as being $231,649.07. The total for living expenses adds up to $179,207, including interest. For mileage claims, the total is $52,441, also including interest. These amounts date back to the year 2005-06, according to Tkachuk’s office. Harb was appointed to the Senate by former prime minister Jean Chrétien in 2003.

A Senate report last month ordered Harb to repay $51,000 in housing and living expenses claimed over 18 months from April 2011 to September 2012, but also asked auditors to take a look at claims going back several years earlier.

Tkachuk, who is stepping down as chair of the Senate’s committee on internal economy at the end of the week for health reasons, confirmed that Harb’s new bill includes the amount of $51,000.

Harb resigned from the Liberal caucus in the wake of the May 13 Senate report, saying he would fight the findings in court. He is now sitting as an Independent and has retained Michel Bastarache, a retired Supreme Court justice, as his lawyer.

Harb had claimed a house he owns near Pembroke, Ont., as his primary residence and had charged expenses for maintaining a dwelling in Ottawa as a secondary residence. Senators who live 100 kilometres or more from Ottawa are permitted to expense up to $25,000 a year for the costs of having a residence in the capital close to their Senate workplace.

However, the Senate said that the rules around primary residences are “clear” and ‘unambiguous,” and ordered that since Harb spends most of his time in Ottawa he should repay money he claimed.

Harb was once an Ottawa alderman and then a Liberal MP for the riding of Ottawa Centre, and seems to have lived most of his life in the capital since he immigrated to Canada from Lebanon as a young man. He purchased the home near Pembroke in 2010.

He has argued that the rules of residency are not clear, and that as a senator appointed to represent Ontario he did nothing wrong as long as he lived in the province.

CBC News attempted to call Harb Wednesday afternoon but was told he was not in his Senate office. His lawyer, when contacted, said Harb will be making a statement within a few days.

“It’s an Ontario where people have good jobs to go to,” Hudak said while speaking at the office of Mortgage Deligent in Mississauga.  “A place where hard work is rewarded with higher wages, and they have confidence to buy a home and raise a family.”Hudak continued, too many people are having trouble finding work or struggling to pay the bills.

“Three hundred thousand people in manufacturing have lost their jobs, at the same time as we’ve added three hundred thousand jobs to the government payroll. And we’re paying for this huge growth in government with borrowing and debt – a debt that’s doubled in 10 years and is on track to tripling. Real change is needed. We can do better.” The recent budget makes matters worse, Hudak added. “The debt, deficit and spending are all up – putting the things we value most at risk. And it spends nearly $1 billion more to buy support from the NDP.”

The solution to our growing problems, Hudak said, is to reduce spending and grow our economy:

• A government wage freeze to save $2 billion, and allow time to reduce the size and cost of government
• Moving government worker pensions to affordable programs like those in the private sector
• Eliminating programs we can’t afford, while opening contracts for all companies to bid on
• Lowering taxes so companies will create jobs, while getting energy costs under control
• Reducing government regulations by at least a third and updating labour laws, and
• Investing in the highways and subways needed to get people and goods moving again

“If we make these decisions now, we can bring good jobs back to Ontario,” Hudak said. “So let’s stop waiting for ‘better’ – and make ‘better’ happen.”

“My dream obviously is to play cricket. All I want to do is to play cricket and get back into the team… It is a dream to play in the South African tour series. But I am not sure about it now,” he told reporters soon after meeting his parents and relatives at nearby Tripunithura.

After his arrival from Delhi Sreesanth said he was very happy to be back with his parents and said he would soon start training. Asked if he had been ‘trapped’ in the case, Sreesanth said, “I have done no wrong. The arrest could be part of a conspiracy. It will soon come out. I am confident good will happen.”

On his experience in Tihar Jail, the pacer said he does not wish to explain anything.

“All I can say is that I love this game. I have given the very best from the day one I played this game. You must trust me. I totally believe in judiciary. I am waiting for everything to be sorted out. I will surely like to explain everything,” he said.

Aussie opening batsman Warner was dropped from the Australia side for their rain-marred match against New Zealand at Edgbaston on Monday after his clash with England batsman Root in a Birmingham bar in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The incident followed the Aussies’ 48-run defeat by England in their tournament opener at Edgbaston on Saturday.”Unfortunately David Warner has tarnished the whole Australia cricket team,” Vaughan told BBC Sport. “People are talking about him but the whole network, structure, captain, management, supporters, are all tarred with the same brush because of what that one individual has done to the team,” said Vaughan, who led England to Ashes glory in 2005.

However, Australia stand-in captain George Bailey  speaking after the match, downplayed the clash which has left Warner facing a Cricket Australia disciplinary hearing, expected to be held before this weekend. Warner carried the drinks at Edgbaston on Wednesday and Bailey said of the dynamic opener: “I thought he took it on the chin. No pun intended. “From my point of view, it’s disappointing. It’s a very minor incident and being dealt with in-house.”

Toronto police have released security camera footage of a violent bank robbery in which a masked suspect grabs a female teller by the throat, slaps her across the face and pulls her hair.

The robbery happened just before 4 p.m. on March 3 at the TD Canada Trust branch at Victoria Park and Sheppard Avenue East.

As the suspects walk into the bank, one of the suspects grabs and points a gun at a customer who was about to exit the branch while a second man jumps on the teller’s counter assaulting her and demanding money.
The men fled the bank after stealing an undisclosed amount of money.

Police say packs of red dye were inside the bags the robbers took from the bank. The dye packs would have exploded, coating the money and possibly the robbers’ clothes and hands in red dye.

The suspects are described as:

- A black man, five feet eight inches tall wearing black clothing and a black bandana with white designs.
- A black man, aged 20 to 30 years old. Six feet tall, 180 pounds wearing a black ski mask, black clothing and carrying a plastic Dollarama bag.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Toronto police.

Bochy was made to sit out of Wednesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the wake of an incident in Tuesday’s contest when Kontos was determined to have intentionally thrown at pitch at Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen.

Kontos, send down to Class AAA Fresno, will serve a three-game suspension upon his return to the major leagues. He was also fined an undisclosed amount. Umpires had warned both teams before McCutchen was hit with the pitch.