OPINION: Given the premier’s history of mixing government business with his personal phone, the people of Ontario deserve to know how he’s been using it
The article is a good exposé and worth reading in its entirety. However, just to stress that this isn't a blind call to invade Ford's privacy, I'm going to highlight a couple paragraphs:
Global News reports that, in June, during a visit to the Empire Club, Ford gave his personal cell number to stakeholders. They must not have been the same ones Ford’s office claimed were a burden back in 2019. They must have been special. Global sought phone records from Ford through an access-to-information request but was denied. It’s appealing the decision.
The integrity commissioner is already investigating potential breaches of the Member’s Integrity Act relating to the Greenbelt plan. There is also growing pressure for the Ontario Provincial Police to investigate the affair, including from the Toronto Star and Liberal leadership hopeful Yasir Naqvi. A police investigation is also appropriate, particularly since, as the Star notes, the premier refuses to call an inquiry into the matter and, moreover, refuses to take real responsibility for the scandal.
So there are grounds to investigate, and there is already resistance to ATIP. Frankly, this is one of the most 'barefaced' scandals in recent memory. It seems like all of this was conducted in broad daylight with hopes to just ignore or gaslight their way out of any consequences.
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