Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed surprise on Wednesday upon learning about the Progressive Conservative Party’s alleged spending to monitor former Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie in Jamaica in 2023. According to reports from The Trillium and POLICORNER, the party supposedly used around $3,000 from donors and taxpayers to conduct surveillance on Crombie at luxury Jamaican resorts as part of opposition research. The incident occurred shortly after Crombie’s election as Liberal leader, while she was on a brief vacation in Jamaica.
Although CBC News has not verified the claims made by The Trillium and POLICORNER, the Ontario PC Party released a statement acknowledging their involvement in opposition research activities, which included the trip to Jamaica in December 2023. Premier Ford distanced himself from the alleged surveillance, stating that he disapproves of such actions and was unaware of the situation until recently.
When questioned about his knowledge of the incident, Ford emphasized that he relies on his team to manage expenses appropriately, especially during campaign periods. He expressed hope that similar tactics would not be repeated in future elections, emphasizing the importance of fair and balanced electoral processes.
Bonnie Crombie declined to comment on the allegations but confirmed her vacation in Jamaica after the leadership race, staying at the Ocean Eden Bay resort. The PC Party’s 2023 financial statement, obtained by CBC News from the NDP, revealed expenses at both Ocean Eden Bay and Royalton Negril Hotel in Jamaica, without detailed information on the nature or timing of these expenditures.
Opposition leaders, including NDP Leader Marit Stiles and interim Ontario Liberal Leader John Fraser, condemned the alleged spying as unethical and an abuse of power. Stiles criticized the behavior as reminiscent of “creepy Trump-style politics,” calling for accountability within the PC Party. Fraser labeled the incident as a misuse of public funds and raised concerns about the extent to which political opponents are targeted by the Ford government.
