Ontario Premier Doug Ford stated that he had no prior knowledge of the Progressive Conservative Party utilizing funds to reportedly monitor former Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie in Jamaica in 2023. According to reports from The Trillium and POLICORNER, the provincial party allegedly allocated close to $3,000 from donors and taxpayers to stay at two luxury resorts in Jamaica with the intention of conducting surveillance on Bonnie Crombie for opposition research purposes. The sources cited in the story remained anonymous but claimed to be familiar with the plan.
The alleged surveillance reportedly occurred six days after Crombie’s victory in the Liberal leadership race in December 2023, during her three-day vacation in Jamaica, as detailed by The Trillium and POLICORNER. While CBC News has not independently verified these reports, the Ontario PC Party released a statement acknowledging their engagement in opposition research, which included travel to Jamaica in December 2023.
During an unrelated news conference on Thursday, Ford expressed his disapproval of the purported spying activities and mentioned that he addressed the party upon learning about the claims the day before. He clarified that the expenses were covered by party funds, which are partly sourced from taxpayer money through per-vote subsidies received by political parties in Ontario.
Ford emphasized the commonality of such actions in politics, likening the situation to media coverage of his trips to the U.S., stating that unforeseen events can occur during elections. When asked whether being unaware of the incident absolved him of responsibility, Ford stated that he relies on his team to ensure proper expenditure of funds and does not personally monitor every dollar spent during campaigns.
Regarding the future use of similar tactics, Ford expressed his hope that such actions would not continue, advocating for fair and balanced election processes. Bonnie Crombie refrained from commenting on the allegations but confirmed her vacation in Jamaica post the 2023 leadership race, staying at one of the resorts listed in the PC party’s financial statement for that year.
Additional information from the PC Party’s 2023 annual financial statement obtained by CBC News revealed expenses at Ocean Eden Bay and Royalton Negril Hotel in Jamaica, totaling $1,000.05 and $1,971.67, respectively. The statement lacked details on the timing and purpose of these expenditures, as well as the individuals responsible for claiming them.
Opposition party leaders, including NDP Leader Marit Stiles and interim Leader of the Ontario Liberals John Fraser, strongly condemned the alleged surveillance activities. Stiles criticized Ford for downplaying the incident and stressed the need for accountability within the party. Fraser labeled the actions as an abuse of power and public funds, raising concerns about the extent to which Ford may target political rivals using unethical tactics.
