Ontario Premier Doug Ford revealed on Wednesday that he had no prior knowledge of 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 disclosed that the party purportedly spent around $3,000 from donor and taxpayer funds on monitoring Crombie at two luxury resorts in Jamaica shortly after she secured the Liberal leadership in December 2023. CBC News has not verified these claims independently.
In response, the Ontario PC Party stated that conducting opposition research, including travel to Jamaica in December 2023, is a standard practice for political parties. Ford expressed disapproval of the alleged surveillance during a separate news briefing and clarified that the expenses were covered by party funds, which partly consist of taxpayer money through per-vote subsidies.
Regarding accountability, Ford mentioned that he relies on his team to ensure proper spending and doesn’t closely monitor every dollar, especially during campaigns. When questioned about the continuity of such tactics, Ford expressed hope that they would not persist, emphasizing the importance of fair and balanced elections.
While Crombie refrained from commenting directly on the allegations, she confirmed her vacation in Jamaica post the leadership race and her stay at one of the hotels listed in the PC party’s 2023 financial report. The financial statement, obtained by CBC News from the NDP, detailed expenses at Ocean Eden Bay and Royalton Negril Hotel without specifying the purpose or duration of spending at the latter.
Opposition leaders, including NDP Leader Marit Stiles and interim Ontario Liberals Leader John Fraser, condemned the alleged surveillance as unethical and an abuse of power. Stiles criticized Ford for downplaying the incident, calling for accountability within the party. Fraser raised concerns about the misuse of public funds to target political opponents, questioning the extent to which such actions have occurred in the past.
