[Shawnski]

Let me first state, this very well may be legit, although it certainly doesn't smell like it....

Hamilton Liberal cabinet minister Tony Valeri more than doubled his money in three months when he flipped a property next to his home to the son of a prominent businessman with ties to the Liberal party.

Valeri, Liberal MP for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, purchased the property on Ridge Road along the escarpment in upper Stoney Creek for $225,000 last April.

Three months later, Valeri sold the property for $500,000 to John Ng, son of Joe Ng, whose Hamilton-based engineering company has been a longtime supporter of the Liberals at the federal and provincial levels.

Valeri, Government House Leader prior to the election call, says there's nothing improper about his purchase or sale of the property.

"The transaction itself was conducted in a transparent fashion, with proper filings, proper disclosure," said Valeri.

"It was done with the advice of the (federal) Ethics Commissioner. "In fact, it was a real estate transaction like any other," Valeri added.

The 2005 property tax assessment for Davis's former lot is listed as $201,000. The 2005 assessment for Valeri's property next door is listed as $186,000.

http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NAS...=1137107411672

Jason Kenney's letter to the Ethics Commissioner over it...

http://www.conservative.ca/media/200...ney-Letter.pdf