Ontario energy minister says ruling in Sudbury bribery byelection trial 'the right thing'

Ontario's energy minister and Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault was never on trial but was certainly at the centre of the Sudbury bribery byelection scandal.

On Tuesday, the trial came to end when the judge ruled there was not enough evidence to convict Sudbury businessman Gerry Lougheed and former Liberal Party CEO Pat Sorbara.

• Judge rules not enough evidence to continue with Sudbury byelection case
• Sudbury byelection investigation a 'waste of money' and politically motivated, says defence

Lougheed and Sorbara had been charged with bribing would-be Liberal candidate Andrew Olivier to step aside for Sudbury's New Democrat Glenn Thibeault could defect and run for the Ontario Liberals.

Sorbara was also charged with bribing Thibeault to become a Liberal with paid jobs for two staffers, who both came with him from the NDP.

'Survivor's guilt'

"There's always been a bit of survivor's guilt for me with what [Lougheed and Sorbara] had to go through," Thibeault told CBC News.

"It's a huge weight lifted from my shoulders because I've always had to carry this since I made my decision."

In the early days of the trial, the crown alleged Thibeault had taken a bribe to go to the Liberals. He says at the time, he no idea what was being referenced.

"I started to figure it out during the testimony when they were talking about me asking to have my staff come along as the inducement," he said.

"My two staff were coming along with me because they wanted to. I worry about people because this was a decision that I made, and this was going to have an effect on their lives."

Inside the Liberal Party

Much of the testimony at the trial focused on the inner workings of the Liberal Party, including talk about dysfunction within the Sudbury riding association.

"We've got a pretty united front moving forward," Thibeault said.

"We're going to continue to work together. It is an exciting time for us now that this is over. We can continue to move forward.

Thibeault says this case hasn't changed how he interacts with the public or politicians.

"Nothing has changed for me in that sense," he said. "It does rub you the wrong way in terms of looking at how some people will take advantage of these types of situations."

Changes to the Election Act needed?

When the judge issued his verdict, he pointed out the electionact is vague. As for whether that law needs to be changed in the future, Thibeault says he believes it's a conversation to be had between parties and party lawyers.

"I really had a hard time understanding how they were getting to this point. A directed verdict showed that there wasn't really anything there in the first place and this should have never got to where it did," he said.

"At the end of the day, this is the system that we have. Can we look at always doing things better? Of course we can. No one says anyone is ever perfect. But at the end of the day for me, the ruling by the judge, that was the right thing."