Former Postmedia CEO says Ford’s office used son's contract as leverage for an election letter

TORONTO — Former Postmedia chief executive Paul Godfrey alleges Premier Doug Ford’s office used a taxpayer-funded contract as leverage to get Ford’s letter to voters into Postmedia papers before the 2025 election.Godfrey’s son, Rob Godfrey, is chief executive of Keel Digital Solutions. In a sworn declaration, Paul Godfrey says that on Jan. 22, 2025, Rob told him Patrick Sackville, then Ford’s chief of staff, was prepared to approve Keel’s proposal for a new three-year agreement with the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.The message came with a request. Ford wanted Postmedia’s Ontario papers to publish a letter making the case for an early election before the writ dropped. “It was understood that… if Postmedia did not print the letter to voters that Mr. Sackville would not be motivated to take the steps to ensure the three-year proposal was approved,” Godfrey alleged. “This was using political leverage and power over a small company to extract a benefit that Keel had no ability to provide.”Godfrey says he was uncomfortable, and that on Jan. 24 he called Postmedia president and chief executive Andrew MacLeod and National Post editor-in-chief Rob Roberts. He says both agreed the letter would run. The National Post published Ford’s op-ed on Jan. 28., the campaign began the next day, and Ford won on Feb. 27. Godfrey says he called to congratulate him..National Bank moves to put Skills Development Fund firm into receivership.The premier’s office called the allegations “categorically untrue.” Postmedia said publishing the op-ed required no special consideration. Sackville did not respond to a request for comment. The declaration was also given to the Ontario Provincial Police. No charge has been laid on the letter allegation.Keel is already in a separate fight with the province. The company has received about $40 million in provincial payments over several years, the Globe and Mail reported, including for an online mental-health service for students. The government later sent a forensic audit of the college contracts to the OPP, which is a different file from the letter, cut off funding, and sued Keel, its subsidiary Get A-Head and five executives, alleging they misled the province to get contracts renewed. Keel denies that, has demanded $100 million, and says it is being used as a scapegoat for the Skills Development Fund controversy.Ontario Liberal interim leader John Fraser called the declaration a taxpayer-funded contract used as a bargaining chip.

Former Postmedia CEO says Ford’s office used son's contract as leverage for an election letter

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