Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles has requested an investigation into Premier Doug Ford's trip to Washington, alleging partisan misuse of the visit during the provincial election campaign. While Ford attended as chair of the Council of the Federation to meet with US lawmakers regarding tariffs, Stiles claims a video posted by Ford promoting the Progressive Conservative Party violated the caretaker convention and used taxpayer dollars for partisan gain.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford , chair of the Council of the Federation, speaks during a press conference with the premiers of Canada in Washington, on Feb. 12.Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles is asking the province’s Integrity Commissioner to investigate Doug Ford ’s trip to Washington this week, accusing the Progressive Conservative Leader of using the visit for partisan purposes during the provincial election campaign.
In a letter sent to Integrity Commissioner J. David Wake on Thursday, Ms. Stiles said Mr. Ford’s video promotes “a clearly partisan political message encouraging Ontarians to vote for the PC Party.” She also suggested Mr. Ford violated the “caretaker” convention on the trip, which generally restricts government business to urgent matters during the writ period. Ontarians go to the polls Feb. 27.
“The Integrity Commissioner has been very clear about this, they were not to use that event for partisan purposes. He turned around and did it right away,” she said.“Footage of the Premier being the Premier is routinely used in political social content,” she said in a statement.Ms. Yelich also said previously that the PC party paid for Mr. Ford’s travel to Washington, as well as for the political staff accompanying him, including the use of a private charter plane.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, who was among the 11 premiers in the White House meeting, told reporters Thursday that it was an important part of relationship-building with Trump officials.
FORD ONTARIO ELECTION WASHINGTON TRIP TARIFFS INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER
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