QUEEN'S PARK, ON — Ontario Liberal Interim Leader John Fraser is calling on Premier Doug Ford to

explain why his political operation sent someone to Jamaica to follow former Ontario Liberal Leader

Bonnie Crombie while she was on a personal trip.

“This is beyond inappropriate. Doug Ford needs to explain why he thought it was acceptable to

orchestrate having a woman stalked out of the country while she was on a personal trip. This isn’t

politics. This is creepy, disturbing behaviour and a complete abuse of power,” said Fraser.

The Ontario PC Party reported an expense at the same Jamaican resort where Crombie was staying

shortly after she was elected Ontario Liberal leader. With nearly half of the party’s income that year

coming from taxpayer-funded subsidies, Ontarians should not be helping foot the bill to spy on

political opponents on vacation.

“Using donor and taxpayer dollars to follow a political opponent to another country on a private trip is

an extraordinary abuse of public money and an appalling invasion of personal privacy,” said Fraser.

“The fact that the Premier and those around him thought this was acceptable should concern every

Ontarian. It raises serious questions about how far Doug Ford is willing to go to target his political

opponents, and whether this has happened before.”

Fraser said the incident is another example of a culture around the Ford government where the normal

rules and expectations of public life seem not to apply.

“You can fight hard in politics. You can disagree. But you must know the difference between right and

wrong. Following a woman to another country and invading her privacy is wrong. It’s creepy. There is

no place for this kind of politics in Ontario.”

Fraser is calling on Ford to provide a full accounting of who authorized the trip, how much was spent,

who was involved and whether the PC Party or individuals connected to the Premier have followed

other political opponents.

“There is a line in politics, and this crosses it by a mile. Doug Ford needs to explain why he thought this

kind of behaviour was acceptable and give Ontarians a full accounting of how often his political

operation has done this.

“Apparently, there’s no limit to what Doug Ford is willing to spend for his own political benefit. From

private jets to political spying, he seems to think other people’s money is his to spend.”