Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed surprise on Wednesday upon learning that his Progressive Conservative Party had reportedly spent funds to conduct surveillance on former Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie during her visit to Jamaica in 2023. Reports from The Trillium and POLICORNER revealed that the party allegedly allocated nearly $3,000 from donor and taxpayer money to monitor Crombie at upscale Jamaican resorts as part of opposition research, as per undisclosed sources familiar with the operation.
According to The Trillium and POLICORNER, the alleged surveillance occurred shortly after Crombie’s Liberal leadership victory in December 2023 when she was on a brief vacation in Jamaica. While CBC News has not verified these claims independently, the Ontario PC Party issued a statement acknowledging their involvement in opposition research, which included the trip to Jamaica.
During an unrelated press conference, Ford distanced himself from the reported spying activities, stating that he disapproved of such actions and had discussed the matter with party officials after being informed on Wednesday. He clarified that the expenses were covered by party funds, which are partly sourced from taxpayer money through per-vote subsidies.
In response to queries about his awareness of the incident, Ford emphasized his reliance on his team to ensure appropriate spending, mentioning that he does not oversee every dollar spent during campaign periods. When questioned about the potential continuation of such tactics, Ford expressed a hope that similar incidents would not transpire in the future, advocating for fair and balanced elections.
While Crombie declined to comment on the allegations, she confirmed her vacation in Jamaica in December 2023, specifying her stay at one of the resorts listed in the PC party’s financial statement. Notably, details from the party’s 2023 annual financial report, obtained by CBC News from the NDP, revealed expenses at Ocean Eden Bay and Royalton Negril Hotel in Jamaica without specific expenditure dates or purposes.
Opposition party leaders, including NDP Leader Marit Stiles and interim Ontario Liberal Leader John Fraser, condemned the reported surveillance as inappropriate and an abuse of power. Stiles criticized the alleged spying as reminiscent of unethical political practices, calling for accountability within the PC Party. Fraser characterized the incident as a misuse of public funds to target political adversaries, raising concerns about potential recurrence and questioning the extent of Ford’s tactics against opponents.