- Ontario Premier Doug Ford stated he was unaware that his Progressive Conservative Party spent thousands to surveil former Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie during her vacation in Jamaica in December 2023.
- Ford mentioned he only learned of the incident this week and does not condone the actions, stating it was the party's money.
- The PC Party sent an operative to surveil Crombie, incurring expenses of $3,000 at two hotels in Jamaica, including $1,000.05 at the Ocean Eden Bay Hotel and $1,971.67 at the Royalton Negril Hotel.
- Opposition leaders condemned the surveillance as intimidation and misogyny, with Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser calling it a complete abuse of power.
- Crombie traveled to Jamaica from December 8 to 11, 2023, for a personal vacation after winning the Ontario Liberal leadership.
- A party spokesman stated that the PC Party conducts opposition research, which included the surveillance in Jamaica.
- Critics described the surveillance as creepy and disturbing, likening it to Trump-style politics that has no place in Ontario.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford revealed he was unaware of his Progressive Conservative Party's decision to spend $3,000 to surveil former Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie during her vacation in Jamaica. Ford stated, "I don’t approve of it," emphasizing he only learned of the incident recently.134
The surveillance occurred shortly after Crombie won the Liberal leadership, with reports detailing expenses at two Jamaican hotels: $1,000.05 at Ocean Eden Bay and $1,971.67 at Royalton Negril. Crombie confirmed her trip from December 8 to 11, 2023, was for personal downtime with family and friends.7
Opposition leaders condemned the act, labeling it as intimidation and misogyny. Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser stated, "This is beyond inappropriate... a complete abuse of power."56
NDP leader Marit Stiles criticized the act as "creepy Trump-style politics" and highlighted the barriers women face in politics, demanding accountability for those involved in the decision-making process. She remarked, "Somebody signed off on that expense, and he knows exactly who. Heads need to roll."910
The PC Party defended the action as part of standard opposition research, with spokesman Peter Turkington stating, "In this instance, that work included travel to Jamaica in December, 2023."8
“The PC Party's 2023 financial statement, provided by the NDP, lists $1,000.05 at Ocean Eden Bay Hotel and $1,971.67 at Royalton Negril Hotel. Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser called it 'beyond inappropriate,' while NDP's Marit Stiles labeled it 'creepy Trump-style politics.'”
The Globe and Mail
