Liberals paid $10,000 to have gas plant data erased

Peter Faist, the IT consultant and spouse of Liberal deputy chief of staff to former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty, was paid $10,000 by the Liberal caucus to wipe data off of approximately 20 government computers.

The allegation, unproven in court, comes from an OPP Information to Obtain document release by the Ontario Superior Court on Thursday. The document was used to get a search warrant, which it executed at a government office in late November.

The data Faist is said to have deleted relate to the cancellation of two gas plants in the Toronto-area during the midst of an election campaign. Police suspect the data were internal email conversations regarding the cancellation of the gas plants.

David Livingston, McGuinty's chief of staff, is accused of ordering the deletion of the emails.

Police allege that Livingston, in emails, requested information on how to delete emails permanently and ultimately gave Faist access to the computers.

Faist told police he did not have a contract for the work...