Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed surprise on Wednesday upon learning about the Progressive Conservative Party’s alleged expenditure on surveilling former Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie during her visit to Jamaica in 2023. Reports from The Trillium and POLICORNER revealed that the party purportedly utilized approximately $3,000 from donor and taxpayer funds to conduct surveillance on Crombie at two luxury resorts in Jamaica, as part of opposition research efforts. The sources cited in the story remained anonymous but claimed familiarity with the operation.
The alleged surveillance reportedly occurred six days after Crombie secured the Liberal leadership in December 2023 while she was enjoying a brief vacation in Jamaica, according to The Trillium and POLICORNER. Although CBC News has not independently verified the reporting by The Trillium and POLICORNER, the Ontario PC Party released a statement acknowledging their involvement in opposition research activities, which included the trip to Jamaica in December 2023.
Ford, during an unrelated press briefing on Thursday, disapproved of the purported spying and stated that he addressed the matter with the party after being informed of the claims. He clarified that the expenses were covered by party funds, which include taxpayer money allocated through a per-vote subsidy to political parties in Ontario.
The Premier emphasized that unforeseen incidents can occur in politics and compared the situation to instances where media personnel accompany him on trips to the U.S. When asked whether his lack of awareness absolved him of responsibility, Ford indicated that he relies on his team to oversee appropriate fund utilization during campaigns.
Regarding the future adoption of such tactics, Ford expressed a hope that they would not continue and emphasized the importance of fair and balanced elections. Crombie refrained from commenting on the allegations but confirmed her vacation in Jamaica after the leadership race in 2023, staying at one of the resorts mentioned in the PC party’s 2023 financial statement.
The PC Party’s 2023 annual financial statement, obtained by CBC News from the NDP, disclosed expenses at the Ocean Eden Bay and Royalton Negril Hotel in Jamaica, without specifying the purpose or duration of these expenditures. The statement also lacked details on the spending at the Royalton Negril Hotel.
Opposition party leaders, including NDP Leader Marit Stiles and interim Ontario Liberals Leader John Fraser, criticized the alleged surveillance as distasteful and an abuse of power. Stiles condemned the actions as reminiscent of unethical political practices, urging accountability within the party. Fraser demanded transparency from Ford regarding the surveillance operation and raised concerns about the misuse of public and donor funds for targeting political adversaries.