Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed surprise on Wednesday upon learning about the Progressive Conservative Party’s alleged expenditure for surveillance of former Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie during her visit to Jamaica in 2023. Reports from The Trillium and POLICORNER unveiled that the party purportedly utilized nearly $3,000 from both donor contributions and public funds to conduct surveillance on Crombie at two luxury Jamaican resorts as part of opposition research activities, citing anonymous sources familiar with the operation.
The surveillance reportedly occurred shortly after Crombie’s victory in the Liberal leadership race in December 2023, while she was vacationing in Jamaica for three days. Although CBC News has not independently verified these claims, the Ontario PC Party issued a statement acknowledging their engagement in opposition research, which involved traveling to Jamaica in December 2023.
During an unrelated news conference, Ford disapproved of the alleged surveillance, mentioning that he was unaware of the incident until Wednesday and had spoken to the party about it. He clarified that the expenses were covered by party funds, which also include taxpayer money through per-vote subsidies received by political parties in Ontario.
Ford emphasized that unforeseen occurrences are part of politics, likening the situation to media coverage of his trips to the U.S. When questioned about his level of accountability, Ford indicated that he relies on his team to ensure proper spending. He expressed a hope that such tactics would not be repeated in the future, advocating for fair and balanced elections.
Former Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie refrained from commenting on the allegations but confirmed her vacation in Jamaica in December 2023, staying at one of the resorts listed in the PC party’s 2023 financial statement. Details from the financial statement revealed expenses at the Ocean Eden Bay and the Royalton Negril Hotel, without specifying the purpose or duration of spending at the latter.
Opposition party leaders, including NDP Leader Marit Stiles and interim Ontario Liberals Leader John Fraser, condemned the surveillance as inappropriate and an abuse of power. Stiles criticized the alleged spying as reminiscent of unethical political practices, urging accountability within the party. Fraser raised concerns about the misuse of public funds for surveillance activities, questioning Ford’s intentions towards political opponents and demanding a thorough explanation.