Ontario Premier Doug Ford revealed that he only learned on Wednesday about his Progressive Conservative Party’s alleged spending to conduct surveillance on former Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie in Jamaica in 2023. According to reports by The Trillium and POLICORNER, the provincial party reportedly allocated nearly $3,000 from donor and taxpayer funds to book stays at two luxury resorts in Jamaica with the aim of monitoring Crombie as part of opposition research. The sources behind the claims remained anonymous, as per The Trillium and POLICORNER’s coverage.
The purported surveillance activities occurred shortly after Crombie secured the Liberal leadership victory in December 2023 while she was enjoying a three-day getaway in Jamaica, as detailed by The Trillium and POLICORNER. CBC News has not independently verified the specifics reported by The Trillium and POLICORNER.
However, the Ontario PC Party released a statement on Thursday acknowledging their standard practice of conducting opposition research, which in this instance involved travel to Jamaica in December 2023. Ford, during an unrelated press briefing on Thursday, disapproved of the alleged surveillance and mentioned discussing the matter with the party upon hearing the allegations on Wednesday. He clarified that the expenses were covered by party funds, which are partially sourced from taxpayer money through per-vote subsidies in Ontario.
Ford emphasized that occurrences in politics are not uncommon, drawing a parallel between the Jamaica trip and media coverage during his visits to the U.S. When questioned if his lack of awareness absolved him of responsibility, Ford highlighted his reliance on his team to oversee appropriate spending, especially during campaign periods. Responding to queries about the continuation of such tactics, Ford expressed a hope that they would not persist, emphasizing the importance of fair and balanced elections.
Meanwhile, Bonnie Crombie refrained from commenting directly on the allegations but confirmed to CBC News her vacation in Jamaica post the leadership race in 2023, noting her stay at one of the resorts mentioned in the PC party’s 2023 financial statement. The financial disclosure obtained by CBC News from the NDP outlined expenses of $1,000.05 at Ocean Eden Bay and $1,971.67 at Royalton Negril Hotel, without specifying the nature, duration, or claimant of these expenditures at the latter establishment.
Amidst the controversy, opposition party leaders expressed strong disapproval of the alleged surveillance tactics. NDP Leader Marit Stiles condemned the actions as reminiscent of “creepy Trump-style politics,” demanding accountability within the PC Party. Interim Leader of the Ontario Liberals, John Fraser, urged Ford to clarify the involvement of individuals in the surveillance operation, labeling the incident as an abuse of power and public funds. Fraser raised concerns about the extent to which Ford’s administration would go to target political adversaries and called for transparency on the matter.
