Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed surprise on Wednesday upon learning that his Progressive Conservative Party had reportedly spent funds on surveilling former Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie in Jamaica in 2023. A report by The Trillium and POLICORNER claimed that the party had allocated nearly $3,000 from donor and taxpayer contributions to observe Crombie at two luxury resorts in Jamaica shortly after she assumed the Liberal leadership. The alleged surveillance occurred during Crombie’s three-day vacation in Jamaica following her victory in December 2023.
Although CBC News has not verified the claims made by The Trillium and POLICORNER, the Ontario PC Party acknowledged in a statement that opposition research activities, including the trip to Jamaica, were part of their standard operations. Premier Ford, at a separate news conference, disapproved of the reported surveillance and stated that he was unaware of the incident until recently. He clarified that the expenses were covered by party funds, which include taxpayer money allocated through per-vote subsidies.
When questioned about his oversight of party spending, Ford emphasized his reliance on his team to manage finances during campaigns. He distanced himself from the surveillance tactics and expressed hope that such actions would not be repeated in the future. Crombie refrained from commenting on the allegations but confirmed her vacation in Jamaica after the leadership race, staying at one of the resorts mentioned in the PC party’s financial statement for 2023.
The PC Party’s annual financial report, obtained by CBC News from the NDP, detailed expenses incurred at the Ocean Eden Bay and Royalton Negril Hotel in Jamaica, totaling over $2,900. Opposition party leaders, including NDP Leader Marit Stiles and interim Ontario Liberal Leader John Fraser, condemned the reported surveillance as unethical and an abuse of power. They called for accountability within the party and demanded explanations from Premier Ford regarding the incident involving Crombie in Jamaica.