‘It’s politics’: Premier Ford responds to allegations of spying on Bonnie Crombie

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has distanced himself from allegations that the provincial Progressive Conservative party spent $3,000 to surveil Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie during a trip to Jamaica. Ford stated he only learned of the expense on August 13 and does not approve of the party's actions.

“

I just found out about it yesterday, I’ve talked to the party about it.

"I just found out about it yesterday, I’ve talked to the party about it," Ford said at a news conference. "It was $3,000 of the party’s money and I didn’t know until yesterday, but talk to the party, I don’t approve of it."

“

It was $3,000 of the party’s money and I didn’t know until yesterday, but talk to the party, I don’t approve of it.

When pressed on his lack of awareness regarding party expenditures, Ford explained, "I don’t watch every single dollar when I’m in the middle of a campaign … I rely on our team to make sure that they spend it appropriately." He compared the situation to media following him on personal trips, noting, "it’s politics, it was $3,000, I found out yesterday and that’s it."

“

I don’t watch every single dollar when I’m in the middle of a campaign … I rely on our team to make sure that they spend it appropriately.

Opposition parties reacted swiftly and critically. Interim Ontario Liberal leader John Fraser called the situation "beyond inappropriate" and questioned why Ford thought orchestrating surveillance on a woman during a personal trip was acceptable. NDP Leader Marit Stiles condemned the alleged spying as "creepy Trump-style politics" and stated that "heads need to roll."

“

I wouldn’t do it, but again things happen, it’s no different than myself when the media follows me down to Florida, they follow me to Chicago, New Jersey and so on at a higher cost, but you know something, it’s politics, it was $3,000, I found out yesterday and that’s it.