Angry in the Great White North

The story of the Citizenship and Immigration year-end grant-a-palooza that saw $32 million distributed with no controls or oversight to over a hundred of ethnic-based charities and social organizations has been essentially de-politicized by the auditor-general's report. The report said that though the appearance existed that the money was being funnelled to Liberal-friendly organizations, the overall pattern was that of reckless but unfocused spending.

Still, the charge was serious enough to cost Minister Michael Colle his job.

Though the overall pattern might not have appeared political, at least one specific recipient has a long history of close ties with the Liberal Party.

Villa Charities does good work:

What began as an idea to create a home for seniors in 1971 has evolved into a vibrant organization designed to meet the needs of an ever-growing multicultural community in the Greater Metropolitan Toronto Area. In addition to providing culturally sensitive care for the elderly, the Villa Charities family of organizations is also committed to assisting individuals with intellectual disabilities and has a mandate of encouraging community participation through fitness, culture and the arts. Villa Charities prides itself on a proud and rich heritage that has given us a unique and innovative approach to carrying out our work in the community.

We can suppose Michael Colle was thinking that when Villa Charities was awarded $250,000 in 2005-2006, easily one of the largest grants in that year.

But that was not the only money that went to Villa Charities in that year. Michael Colle announced more money earlier in 2006:

In order to help Villa Colombo celebrate this milestone anniversary, Ontario's Minister of Citizenship & Immigration, Mike Colle, announced that the facility would be receiving funding from the provincial government as a part of the Ministry's Community Builders Program. The program was created to help promote and celebrate the province's diversity and heritage.

The funding will be used to help support the various community activities Villa Colombo has planned to celebrate this 30th year of amore. In fact, celebrations will continue throughout the year and will include: a speakers series, golf tournament, carnival and open-air mass.

The amount of funding was not mentioned.

The funding also comes from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. The Villa Colombo got $806,190 and the Baycrest Centre got $811,992, by far and away the largest grants in the Central Toronto region, these grants being announced in October 2006.

When Julian Fantino retired from his position of Chief of Toronto Police, a tribute dinner was held that raised $70,000 for the Villa Charities.

When former RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli had a tribute dinner in his honour this past February, and $75,000 more went to the Villa Charities.

So just what is the Villa Charities that it is so popular. Besides the strong presence in the Italian community, the Villa Charities operation is in large part controlled by powerful Liberals. There are many on the board of governors of the Villa Charities Foundation and the board of governors of Villa Charities Incorporated, but the one that matters the most is probably Edward Sorbara.

Edward Sorbara is the brother of Greg Sorbara, the Minister of Finance in Dalton McGuinty's Liberal government in Ontario.

Another governor is Joseph Tanzola. Joseph is Edward and Greg Sorbara's brother-in-law, married to sister Marcella.

Father Joseph and grandfather Sam have worked for years for the Villa Charities.

So am I about to suggest that Villa Charities is some sort of conduit of funds or influence for the Ontario Liberal Party?

Absolutely not. Nothing I've read suggests that the Sorbara family should feel anything but pride for all the good work they've help the Villa Charities do.

But that's why the $250,000 grant from Michael Colle's Grant-a-palooza is so strange.

The Villa Charities works in the realm of multi-million dollar budgets. It is a huge operation. Moreover, with brother Greg working as minister of finance since 2003, the Villa Charities has had to make sure that all work with the government is above board. Any hint of favouritism could have devastating implications for both the charity and for the Sorbaras.

Assuming all that is true, then how is it that the Villa Charities accepted a $250,000 cheque from Citizen and Immigration with no proper paperwork?

The Ontario Cricket Association is looking to keep the money it got from Michael Colle:

The head of the Ontario Cricket Association said it should not have to return any of the $1-million grant it received from the Ontario government and, in fact, he plans to ask for more funding.

The association is at the centre of the controversy that led to the sudden resignation of an Ontario cabinet minister this week. The association received $1-million in February of 2006 after asking for only $150,000.

Villa Charities ought to be looking carefully at the situation in which it finds itself. It needs to be asking itself just why it ended up with the $250,000, why it accepted the money, why the auditor-general saw fit to put the good name of this charity in the scathing report, what implications this could have for the Sorbaras, and what steps ought to be taken to fix things.

Villa Charities is not responsible for the way Michael Colle ran Immigration and Citizenship, but it has an opportunity to set the tone for how this mess is going to be cleaned up. Until someone steps up to the plate and this has to be done right, the tone is "take the money and run".