Ontario Premier Doug Ford stated that he was not informed about the Progressive Conservative Party’s expenditure to purportedly monitor former Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie in Jamaica in 2023 until Wednesday. Reports from The Trillium and POLICORNER on Thursday revealed that the provincial party allegedly utilized nearly $3,000 from donors and taxpayers to stay at two luxury resorts in Jamaica with the intention of surveilling Bonnie Crombie as part of opposition research activities. The assertions were based on information provided by undisclosed sources familiar with the plan.
The alleged surveillance reportedly occurred six days after Crombie secured the Liberal leadership in December 2023 while she was on a brief vacation in Jamaica, as detailed by The Trillium and POLICORNER. CBC News has not corroborated the reporting by The Trillium and POLICORNER independently. Nonetheless, the Ontario PC Party released a statement on Thursday in which they acknowledged conducting opposition research, which involved traveling to Jamaica in December 2023.
Ford, speaking at an unrelated press briefing on Thursday, expressed his disapproval of the alleged spying and revealed that he addressed the issue with the party upon learning of the claims on Wednesday. He clarified that the expenses were covered by party funds, which are partially sourced from taxpayer money through a per-vote subsidy for political parties in Ontario.
Regarding his knowledge of the incident, Ford mentioned that he relies on his team to oversee appropriate spending. When asked about the continuation of such tactics, Ford expressed a hope that they would not persist. Notably, Crombie declined to comment on the allegations but confirmed her vacation in Jamaica following the leadership competition in 2023, staying at one of the hotels listed in the PC party’s 2023 financial statement.
The PC Party’s 2023 annual financial statement, obtained by CBC News from the NDP, disclosed expenses of $1,000.05 at the Ocean Eden Bay and $1,971.67 at the Royalton Negril Hotel in Jamaica. The statement lacked specific details on the timing, duration, or claimants of these expenses, as well as the purpose of the spending at the Royalton Negril Hotel.
Opposition party leaders, including NDP Leader Marit Stiles and interim Leader of the Ontario Liberals John Fraser, criticized the alleged surveillance as inappropriate and an abuse of power. Stiles condemned the act as reminiscent of “creepy Trump-style politics,” emphasizing the need for accountability within the PC Party. Fraser demanded explanations from Ford regarding the incident, labeling it as a misuse of public funds and a severe transgression against political opponents.