Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed surprise on Wednesday about the Progressive Conservative Party’s alleged expenditure on surveilling former Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie during her 2023 trip to Jamaica. Reports from The Trillium and POLICORNER revealed that the party reportedly spent close to $3,000 from donations and public funds on monitoring Crombie at two luxurious Jamaican resorts, as per undisclosed sources familiar with the operation.
The surveillance reportedly occurred shortly after Crombie’s Liberal leadership victory in December 2023, while she was on a brief Jamaican vacation, according to The Trillium and POLICORNER. CBC News has not independently verified these claims, although the Ontario PC Party issued a statement acknowledging their opposition research activities, including the Jamaica trip.
During an unrelated press conference, Ford disapproved of the alleged spying, emphasizing that he was unaware of the incident until the previous day. He clarified that the party’s funds were used for the operation, citing the financial support political parties receive from taxpayer contributions.
When questioned about his oversight responsibilities, Ford stated that he relies on his team to ensure appropriate fund usage, highlighting the dynamic nature of political campaigns. Regarding the possibility of future similar tactics, Ford expressed hopes for fair and balanced electoral processes, noting that unforeseen incidents can occur during campaigns.
Crombie refrained from commenting on the allegations but confirmed her Jamaican vacation after the leadership contest and her stay at one of the resorts mentioned in the PC party’s financial report for 2023. The financial statement, obtained by CBC News from the NDP, detailed expenses at the Ocean Eden Bay and Royalton Negril Hotel in Jamaica, without specifying the purpose or claimants of the expenditures.
Opposition leaders, including NDP’s Marit Stiles and Ontario Liberals’ interim Leader John Fraser, condemned the alleged surveillance as unethical and an abuse of power. Stiles criticized the actions as reminiscent of divisive political tactics, calling for accountability within the party. Fraser labeled the incident an egregious misuse of public funds and raised concerns about potential repeated targeting of political rivals by the Ford government.