The Liberals say they want PC leader Doug Ford to take a number of steps, after reports surfaced in The Globe and Mail raising questions about the "potentially widespread use of stolen 407 ETR data" by the party.
During a news conference Saturday afternoon, Liberal campaign co-chair Deb Matthews claimed that they know several nominated Conservative candidates appear to be implicated, with a cloud of suspicion hanging over many others, and that party officials appear to be involved.
Matthews said as far back as February, Ford said he knew of anywhere from 30 to 40 ridings where he was aware of what the Liberals are calling 'scandalous' practices and a 'Ponzi scheme.'
"[Doug] claimed today that this fraud was limited to Brampton East. That is untrue," Matthews said. "He said that as soon as he found out there were problems, he acted. That is untrue. He said no external review was required. That is untrue."
Matthews also said she may have been a victim of the 407 data breach, as she received a text from a party a few weeks ago.
"I can tell you I have never given my cellphone number to the PC party," she said. "But I sure have driven on the 407."
However, when asked to produce the text to the media, she could not. Instead, she just said others she know have received similar messages.
Matthews and the Liberals are asking Ford to call in the OPP to conduct a province-wide investigation of nomination practices that are in-question, purge all Conservative databases of any alleged illegally-obtained data, and fire all candidates with links to the data breach as well as the former Brampton East candidate's nomination practices.
Dhillion resigned shortly after news of the 407 data breach broke on Wednesday night.
The Liberals also want Elections Ontario to investigate the matter, and are calling on the PCs to disclose the full results of all internal party investigations into nomination practices.