Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed surprise on Wednesday upon learning that his Progressive Conservative Party had purportedly allocated funds to conduct surveillance on former Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie in Jamaica in 2023. According to reports from The Trillium and POLICORNER, anonymous sources revealed that the party spent around $3,000 from donations and public funds to monitor Crombie at two luxury resorts in Jamaica shortly after she assumed the Liberal leadership in December 2023.
The alleged surveillance occurred while Crombie was on a brief vacation in Jamaica, just six days after her leadership victory, as per The Trillium and POLICORNER. Despite CBC News not verifying the claims independently, the Ontario PC Party released a statement acknowledging their engagement in standard opposition research, which included the trip to Jamaica in December 2023.
During an unrelated press briefing, Ford disapproved of the reported surveillance, asserting that he discussed the matter with the party following the allegations. He clarified that the expenses were covered by party funds, which comprise public contributions due to the per-vote subsidy received by political parties in Ontario.
Addressing questions on his awareness of the incident, Ford emphasized his reliance on his team to ensure proper fund usage, mentioning that he does not micromanage campaign finances. When queried about the likelihood of similar tactics in the future, Ford expressed hope that such actions would not be repeated, emphasizing the importance of fair and balanced elections.
While Crombie refrained from commenting on the allegations, she confirmed to CBC News her visit to Jamaica post-election and stay at the Ocean Eden Bay resort. Notably, CBC News obtained the PC Party’s 2023 financial statement, revealing expenses at Ocean Eden Bay and another Jamaican resort, Royalton Negril Hotel, without specific details on the purpose or duration of these expenditures.
Opposition leaders, including NDP Leader Marit Stiles and interim Ontario Liberal Leader John Fraser, condemned the alleged surveillance as unethical and an abuse of power. Stiles criticized the incident as reminiscent of “creepy Trump-style politics,” demanding accountability within the party, while Fraser characterized it as an egregious misuse of public and donor funds, raising concerns about Ford’s approach towards political opponents.
