TORONTO — Ontario Liberal interim leader John Fraser is demanding Premier Doug Ford explain why the Progressive Conservative Party paid for someone to travel to Jamaica while former Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie was on a personal trip.Fraser said Thursday the Ontario PC Party reported an expense at the same Jamaican resort where Crombie was staying shortly after she became Liberal leader.He described the move as “creepy, disturbing behaviour and a complete abuse of power.”“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,” Fraser said. “This isn’t politics. This is creepy.”.The party’s 2023 financial statement lists $1,000.05 spent at Ocean Eden Bay under “Other — Office & Administration” and another $1,971.67 at the Royalton Negril Hotel. The purpose of the second expense is unclear. Nearly half of the PC Party’s income that year came from the taxpayer-funded per-vote subsidy.A spokesperson for Ford’s office said the premier “had no knowledge of this matter” and that “anyone involved no longer works for the government or for the party.” At a news conference in Guelph, Ford confirmed the total was $3,000 of party money. “I just found out yesterday. It was $3,000 of the party’s money, and I didn’t know until yesterday,” he said. “I don’t approve of it.”Ford compared the spending to media following him on personal trips at higher cost and said he hopes such tactics do not continue. “Let’s just have fair and balanced elections. Stuff happens during elections.”.On Dec. 11, 2023 — the day Crombie returned to Toronto — then-deputy chief of staff Cody Welton posted a Jamaican flag emoji on X. The post was later deleted. Welton did not respond to questions about any connection.NDP Leader Marit Stiles described it as “disgusting” and “creepy Trump-style politics,” saying heads need to roll. Former premier Kathleen Wynne called the conduct “completely unbecoming.”Crombie, who is now running for mayor of Mississauga, declined to comment but confirmed she stayed at Ocean Eden Bay. At the time of her leadership win, the PCs publicly portrayed her as out of touch, citing her lifestyle and vacations.The premier has not provided further details on who authorized the expenditure.
