Ontario Premier Doug Ford revealed on Wednesday that he had no prior knowledge of the Progressive Conservative Party’s alleged spending on surveilling former Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie in Jamaica in 2023. The Trillium and POLICORNER reported that the party purportedly used nearly $3,000 from donors and taxpayers to conduct surveillance on Crombie at two luxury resorts in Jamaica for opposition research purposes, according to anonymous sources.
The surveillance reportedly occurred six days after Crombie won the Liberal leadership in December 2023 while she was vacationing in Jamaica. CBC News has not independently verified these claims, but the Ontario PC Party acknowledged conducting opposition research that involved travel to Jamaica in December 2023.
Ford, during an unrelated news conference, disapproved of the alleged spying and stated that he addressed the issue with the party after learning about it on Wednesday. He emphasized that the expenses were covered by party funds, which include taxpayer money allocated through a per-vote subsidy.
When questioned about his awareness of the incident, Ford indicated that he relies on his team to ensure proper spending and stated that he does not monitor every dollar during campaigns. He expressed hope that such tactics would not continue in the future for fair and balanced elections.
Crombie declined to comment on the allegations but confirmed her vacation in Jamaica in December 2023, staying at one of the resorts mentioned in the PC party’s 2023 financial statement. The statement, obtained by CBC News from the NDP, revealed expenses at the Ocean Eden Bay and the Royalton Negril Hotel in Jamaica without specifying the purpose or duration of the spending.
Opposition party leaders, including NDP Leader Marit Stiles and interim Leader of the Ontario Liberals John Fraser, condemned the alleged surveillance as unethical and an abuse of power. Stiles criticized the behavior as reminiscent of “creepy Trump-style politics,” demanding accountability within the party. Fraser raised concerns over the misuse of public funds and called for transparency regarding the involvement of individuals in the surveillance operation.