TORONTO - The Ontario government is denying the existence of gas plant documents it has already released, NDP MPP Peter Tabuns says.

"In October, the NDP used Freedom of Information to request documents related to Project Vapour, the Liberal code word for the gas plant scandal from the premier's office," Tabuns said Friday.
"The other day we received notice back that no such documents exist."

The government has already released 56,000 documents related to the cancellation of gas plants in Oakville and Mississauga that cost taxpayers at least $230 million.

In those papers, there are e-mails from the premier's office that refer to Project Vapour, he said.

Yet the FOI turned up no such documents after a search.

"If it wasn't so Kafkaesque, it would be completely farcical," Tabuns said.

The NDP energy critic said his party made the FOI request because it doesn't believe the government has released all crucial documents related to the gas plant decisions.

A spokesman for Premier Dalton McGuinty said the search was thorough and no responsive records were found.

"It's worth noting that not all records are required to be kept. Requestors have a right of appeal -- they can go to the Information and Privacy Commissioner if they feel the FOI process was not properly followed," the spokesman said in a statement.