Ford government scandals and cabinet minister changes

Doug Ford today finally confirmed after announcing  that while  Economic Development Minister Jim Wilson has resigned over an addiction problem, he also resigned over sexual misconduct. 

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has publicly acknowledged for the first time that he forced former trade and economic minister Jim Wilson to resign over allegations of sexual misconduct, not only addiction issues, as his office had originally said. ...

Mr. Ford also confirmed that his office launched third-party investigations into Mr. Wilson and Andrew Kimber, one of Mr. Ford’s former top staffers who also resigned last Friday, over allegations of sexually inappropriate text messages. “In the case of Andrew Kimber, one person came forward, an investigation was immediately launched, since then, others have come forward. The investigation is ongoing,” a spokesman for the Premier said. ...

NDP deputy leader Sara Singh said in a statement that protecting a victim of sexual misconduct “is the right thing to do.” But she added that it was not necessary to protect “a powerful man accused of sexual misconduct.”

“Mr. Ford absolutely could have been honest, and told Ontarians that there were serious allegations against his most senior minister, and could have done that without revealing the identity of anyone impacted. He didn’t — he chose to mislead the public to protect Mr. Wilson,” she said.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-doug-ford-admits-former...

John Sinclair, Executive Director of the PC Caucus Service Bureau, who was dismissed last week has hired a lawyer to dispute allegations against himself. 

A senior PC staffer no longer in his role says the suggestion made last week that his exit is tied to the dismissal of another senior Ford staffer last week is “categorically false” and the truth will be “revealed in time.”

Last Thursday evening, a brief statement in response to inquiries from CP24 revealed that John Sinclair, the PC Caucus Service Bureau’s executive director, left his job.

It was the third departure from the PC government in six days, followingthe resignations of Economic Development Minister Jim Wilson and Premier Doug Ford’s executive director of issues management, Andrew Kimber.

Ford’s team originally said Wilson was leaving cabinet and caucus due to an addictions issue, but it was later revealed his exit was due to an allegation of sexual misconduct. ...

On Tuesday, his lawyer Scott Hutchinson said “the insinuation that has been in the media about John – that he was in some way deficient in his handling of the recent dismissal of Andrew Kimber, Executive Director of Issues Management and Legislative Affairs from the Office of the Premier of Ontario – is categorically false.”

“As with all sensitive staffing matters, John Sinclair acted with efficiency and professionalism.”

https://www.cp24.com/news/departed-pc-staffer-retains-lawyer-denies-alle...

Ford appears to be pursuing a vendetta against a fellow member of the Progressive Conservatives in the reuqested firing of Alykhan Velshi on his first day on the job, as described in the previous post, because he was an ally of previous PC leader, Patrick Brown. Unfortunately, its the taxpayer who ends up paying the $500,000 bill for this. 

Practising petty, vindictive politics is bad enough. Doing so when it will cost taxpayers as much as $500,000 when you’re purporting to be a frugal, cost-cutting government is the height of hypocrisy. 

Doug Ford’s government has put itself in that sorry position by ordering the firing of a top executive of Ontario Power Generation, Alykhan Velshi. Velshi just happens to have served as chief of staff to the Progressive Conservative party’s previous leader, Patrick Brown, and this looks very much like part of a settling of accounts between the Ford and Brown camps.

Pursuing a vendetta against enemies, real or perceived, inside his own party isn’t a good look for Ford. It’s especially bad when, as the Star’s Robert Benzie reports, ousting Velshi from his position as OPG’s senior vice-president of corporate affairs and community relations may cost the government up to $500,000 in severance payments. ...

But what’s a measly half-million when the latest provincial budget shows spending running at $158.5 billion? Actually, it adds up. For example, it’s exactly the amount of money that a charity called Pro Bono Ontario is seeking from the province to continue offering free legal aid to some 18,000 people. Attorney-General Caroline Mulroney has told the organization to look elsewhere for the money. Times, after all, are tough and the government has to tighten its belt.

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2018/11/13/political-score-se...

Patrick Brown has alleged that Finance Minister and former interim PC leader Vic Fedeli has engaged in sexual misconduct, causing the NDP to call for his resignagtion from cabinet while the allegation is investigated. 

There has been swift reaction to former Ontario PC leader Patrick Brown's new tell-all memoir, including an opposition call for an investigation into an allegation of sexual misconduct against Vic Fedeli, and the removal of the finance minister from cabinet until that investigation is finished. Brown made the allegation in the book, entitled Takedown: The Attempted Political Assassination of Patrick Brown.

Brown writes that in December 2017 — not long before he was ousted as leader of the party —he received a handwritten letter on his desk from a female staffer accusing Fedeli of inappropriate behaviour. CBC News has not seen the letter.

"If a woman has made sexual misconduct allegations against Vic Fedeli, I assume that Doug Ford will be immediately ordering a fully independent investigation, and will be removing Mr. Fedeli from cabinet while that investigation takes place," NDP Deputy Leader Sara Singh said in a written statement on Wednesday. "If there is any truth to allegations that the Conservative government is protecting Mr. Fedeli by buying the silence of his victim, Ford needs to come clean with the people of Ontario. Obviously, protecting a powerful man who has committed any sort of misconduct is wrong."

Premier Doug Ford has responded to the allegation on Twitter, calling it a "disgusting smear campaign," and saying he is standing by his finance minister. "Minister @VictorFedeli is one of the most honourable, ethical, and decent individuals I have ever had the privilege of knowing and working with," Ford tweeted. "I stand behind him completely from this disgusting smear campaign. He has my full support."

Ford also said he was standing behind Children, Community and Social Services Minister Lisa MacLeod, whom Brown also mentions in his book. "I stand behind @MacLeodLisa 100%. She is an absolute champion as a Minister and as a mental health advocate," the premier said.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/patrick-brown-memoir-ndp-calls-fo...

Another scandal is brewing over the appointment of the new OPP commissioner, Toronto Police superintendent Ron Taverner, a friend of Doug Ford, who initially did not meet the posted job qualifications for OPP commissioner before they were changed two days after they were released. The article also discusses concerns about Ford government hirings at Hydro One and Ontario Power Generation.

When the top job with the Ontario Provincial Police was posted in October, Ron Taverner couldn’t apply, because his rank was too low. Two days later, the job requirements were changed — paving the way for the Ford family friend to apply. He got the job. ...

The first job description was posted to the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police website in October and — according to a search of the document’s web history — was last modified on Oct. 22. That posting required all applicants to hold, at minimum, the rank of deputy chief or assistant commissioner. The candidate should have a “track record and demonstrated ability to provide executive leadership in a complex policing organization at the rank of Deputy Police Chief or higher, or Assistant Commissioner or higher in a major police service,” read the posting. Taverner, a superintendent with the Toronto Police Service, sits two ranks below that threshold. ...

“The fix was in from Day 1,” former OPP commissioner Chris Lewis told CP24 on Thursday. “The decision’s the premier’s,” Lewis said. “There’s old relationships there; we all know it, and I think it was a travesty that this occurred. And I don’t want to show any disrespect to Ron Taverner. He got the job, good for him. I don’t think it’s good for the OPP, and I don’t think it was a good decision on the part of government whatsoever.” ...

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath told reporters early on Monday she thinks Lewis’s concerns are legitimate. “Come clean and outline — particularly and specifically — what the process was,” Horwath said. “Let’s figure out why the process left us with a candidate that leaves so many people scratching their heads.” ...

The promotion means Taverner will go from being responsible for more than 700 uniformed officers and civilian staff to approximately 8,000 uniformed officers and civilian employees. ...

In spite of Ford and Taverner’s personal relationship, Community Safety Minister Sylvia Jones said she can “absolutely” guarantee there will be a separation between the premier’s office and the commissioner.

However, Horwath told reporters she’s skeptical any separation will be maintained, because Ford’s office has previously tried to direct police operations, she said. In November, the Toronto Star reported that Ford’s chief of staff asked senior officials to ask police to raid illegal dispensaries on the day cannabis was legalized. “We’ve already seen, as you know, a government that doesn’t understand that that’s not supposed to happen,” Horwath said.

The Ford government is already facing questions over its involvement in appointments in the electricity sector. Ford’s chief of staff, Dean French, was accused of interfering with hiring at Ontario Power Generation last month. He reportedly asked the provincial Crown corporation to fire Alykhan Velshi, who held a key post in the office of former PC leader Patrick Brown, according to reporting by the Globe and Mail. And last week, the Globe reported that the premier’s office is in a standoff with Hydro One over the selection of its next CEO.

https://ipolitics.ca/2018/12/04/qualifications-lowered-for-opp-commissio...

More problems for the Ford government over the hiring of Ron Taverner as Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner.

Opposition politicians pounced on a call from Ontario’s interim top cop for an independent investigation into the executive hiring process at the provincial force on Wednesday, as Premier Doug Ford ducked questions over his role in the appointment of a family friend as new commissioner.

The Ford government condemned interim OPP Commissioner Brad Blair for formally complaining to the Ontario ombudsman about the hiring of Ron Taverner — a 73-year-old Toronto Police superintendent and close family friend to the Ford family — to helm the force.

Opposition politicians, however, are urging Taverner, who will be sworn in Monday as Ontario Provincial Police commissioner to temporarily stand down.

Blair's letter was submitted to the ombudsman's office on Tuesday requesting an independent investigation into the executive hiring process at the force. The next morning, Ford appeared at the Toronto Global Forum at a downtown hotel, where he gave a speech about his government’s efforts to cut red tape. The premier entered through a side door and exited through a back route, avoiding reporters.

At Queen’s Park, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said Ford’s actions that morning suggested he was guilty.

“When you're the premier and you're running and hiding from the media it means you've got something to hide,” she told reporters.

Horwath, along with other opposition members, urged the government to delay the appointment process set to take place on Dec. 17, until a full investigation is conducted into Ford’s involvement in the matter to “try and get some sense of assurance for the public that their OPP commissioner is not in any way under a cloud of suspicion…because of the relationship with the premier.”

In a letter to the premier, Horwath urged Ford to create an emergency special committee “with equal representation from government and opposition members, to conduct a full review of the appointment process that led to Taverner’s selection.” The committee, Horwath added, should have “full power to call witnesses and subpoena any relevant documents.”

Horwath also urged the Ontario ombudsman to conduct his own investigation into Taverner’s appointment — echoing Brad Blair’s request to him. “Your investigation will be essential to giving the public confidence in the selection,” Horwath wrote in a letter to the ombudsman on Wednesday.

The NDP leader said she's concerned that Doug Ford himself selected Taverner, citing his decision not to recuse himself from signing the order-in-council that officially selected Taverner and for lowering the required qualifications to allow Taverner to be an eligible candidate.

Ford’s actions in his first six months in office have shown an "extremely disturbing” pattern, Horwath said, of “a government that won’t accept limitations to its power and could very reasonably be perceived as influencing policing operations at the OPP.”

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2018/12/12/news/opposition-pounces-onta...

Interim OPP commissioner Brad Blair believes the Ford government had the fix in for a hostile takeover of the police force that is the organization that polices provincial politicians. 

Ron Taverner, a personal pal of the premier, didn’t meet the original qualifications for the job — until a hand-picked hiring committee downgraded the job qualifications, two days after the competition opened. Unless the public can make the premier understand that he has crossed a line, Taverner will take over as OPP chief Monday. ...

Consider the devastating allegations in the OPP commissioner’s detailed submission — on official letterhead — to the independent Ombudsman’s Office this week seeking a formal investigation: The hiring process “remains enveloped in questions of political interference,” Blair wrote. “To have this new command assumed without addressing this matter will cause dysfunction in the service.”

His appeal followed a public protest from a previous OPP chief, Chris Lewis, over the rigged hiring process that has discredited a police force that requires public legitimacy to do its job: “The fix was in,” Lewis complained publicly, referring to the Ford-Taverner tag team. “There’s old relationships there, we all know it, and I think it was a travesty that this occurred.” ...

Detailed allegations that the premier’s office conspired to flout procurement rules and political norms are a devastating indictment of Ford’s brief time in power. According to Blair, Ford bulldozed the OPP command to get the bodyguards he wanted, demanding a meeting with then-commissioner Vince Hawkes, and letting it be known that if he did not acquiesce, “perhaps a new commissioner would.” Ford’s office also asked the OPP to procure a “large camper type vehicle and have it modified to the specifications the premier’s office would provide us,” adding that it be “kept off the books ... hidden from the public record.” 

This is a scandal unlike any other, for it is almost as much a question of competence as corruption.  This isn’t just the gang that couldn’t shoot straight, it is the group that couldn’t keep its story straight. ...

Perhaps Ford has correctly calculated that the damage can be contained, that he can ride out this storm as he has so many others in his past, that he can have the last laugh. 

Maybe he will get away with it. ... And Ontarians will grow accustomed to their chief executive interfering in law enforcement at the very top, just like in America.

https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/2018/12/12/how-doug-f...

Interim OPP Commissioner Brad Blair sent a letter to the Ontario's ombudsman, Paul Dubé, urging that Dubé investigate the hiring process that resulted in Ron Taverner being selected as the new OPP Commissioner. 

Here are ten of the most compelling arguments and insinuations contained in the letter:

1. That Blair was viewed as a "front runner candidate" for the job, based on his qualifications and experience.
2. That key requirements for the job were modified two days after it was posted, removing the need for a candidate to hold a certain level of rank in a major police service. Taverner would not have met the initial requirements. This revelation was originally reported by iPolitics.
3. That Sal Badali, a partner at headhunting firm Odgers Berdtson, told Blair "on numerous occasions that he had no influence on either the process or the outcome of the interviews." Badali's fellow panel members were a deputy minister and the deputy attorney general.
4. That the hiring panel members "changed at the last minute." Doug Ford's chief of staff Dean French was due to take part in Blair's second round interview but Blair saw him leave the building. Ten minutes before Blair's interview was due to start, he was told that French would not attend.
5. That Badali had told Blair that a hiring decision would be made following one of two scheduled cabinet meetings, but that it was in fact made before either meeting took place. In addition, Taverner was seen leaving the premier's office on the day the decision was made. 
6. That French (Ford's chief of staff) had requested the OPP purchase a large vehicle to be modified to Ford's specifications, and asked for a sole source provider's costs to be kept off the books during the command of his predecessor, Commissioner Vince Hawkes, who retired in November.
7. That Blair met with Taverner at a Swiss Chalet after Taverner had been named to the job and that Taverner told him that he had run into a reporter after his second-round interview, and that the reporter accused him of leaving Ford's office. He said Taverner told him he asked the reporter to "hold off on any story in exchange for providing this reporter with a first interview in the near future," suggesting that Taverner knew he would be named to the job.
8. That Premier Ford had made requests for specific officers to serve on his security detail so that he "would feel comfortable" — disrupting the chain of command within the OPP and a dedicated unit responsible for the security of the premier and the lieutenant-governor.
9. That Premier Ford told the previous commissioner, J.V.N. "Vince" Hawkes that if the top cop would not address Ford's security requests, that perhaps a new commissioner would.
10. That the "perception of political interference in the hiring process has deeply affected the morale of the rank and file" at the OPP, Blair wrote. "OPP officers have shared with me their concerns that the process was unfair and their feeling that the independence of the OPP is now called into question." They believe that this will affect public confidence in the police, which runs counter to principles of a democratic society as well as running counter to fully effective policing, Blair added.

Blair, who had also applied for the job, said he has accepted he will not remain commissioner and that his request has "nothing to do" with wanting to stay in the job.

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2018/12/12/news/ten-things-you-need-kno...

Premier Ford is doubling down on Ron Taverner as OPP commissioner even though Taverner's selection is being now reviewed by the Integrity commissioner. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is calling for a public inquiry into the selection. 

Ontario's integrity commissioner confirmed Tuesday he is conducting an inquiry into the appointment of Toronto police Supt. Ron Taverner as the next provincial police commissioner following a request by an NDP member about Premier Doug Ford. ...

Ford, speaking to reporters on Tuesday after visiting the new Amazon office in downtown Toronto on Tuesday, defended the Taverner appointment and said it will happen despite allegations of political interference. "Ron Taverner is a great guy .... this guy has given his life to policing. Let the review take place. And I can tell you one thing, once the review gets done, he's going to be the best commissioner the OPP has ever seen," Ford said. "We look forward to having Ron Taverner as the commissioner of the OPP." ...

Taverner, a family friend of Ford, was set to start his new job on Monday, but he announced over the weekend that he would wait until the integrity commissioner completed his investigation. On Monday, the 72-year-old returned to his previous job as superintendent of three Toronto police divisions. ...

Meanwhile, Ontario's Official Opposition is calling for a public inquiry into allegations of political interference in the appointment. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said the integrity commissioner's investigation into the hiring can't only happen behind closed doors. Horwath said two rarely used subsections of the Public Inquiries Act allow the integrity commissioner to launch a public inquiry — a power usually reserved for the premier and his cabinet.

"An investigation of this importance — an investigation that's critical to continued public confidence in the OPP — has to be an open, transparent process," Horwath said in a news release on Tuesday. She said a full public inquiry would have "the power to summon witnesses, request documents, and ensure witnesses are protected from self-incrimination and discipline or retribution from their employer. A public inquiry can guarantee those things."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ont-opp-inquiry-1.4950680

As the questions mount over the hiring of Ron Taverner as OPP Commissioner, Ford has found a solution: skip Question Period.

Facing more heat over the hiring of his longtime friend Ron Taverner to head the OPP, Premier Doug Ford skipped question period in the legislature for the third straight day Thursday as opposition parties continued to question the controversial appointment.

The premier’s staff and at least two cabinet ministers said his week was booked solid with meetings and events because the legislature was supposed to be on a break, but that didn’t wash with rivals seeking answers.

https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2018/12/20/premier-doug-ford...

While engaging in extensive program cutbacks, no expense is spared in customizing a vehicle for him at taxpayers' expense, while allegedly planning to keep the costs off the books. 

Customizing a van for Premier Doug Ford — with items that included a reclining leather sofa and a mini-fridge — would have cost taxpayers more than $50,000, according to a document filed in Ontario Superior Court. 

An estimate for customizing the van was filed by lawyers for Ontario Provincial Police Deputy Commissioner Brad Blair as part of a lawsuit. Blair is asking the court to force the province's ombudsman to investigate the appointment of Ford's friend, Toronto Police Supt. Ron Taverner, to be the next OPP commissioner. 

Blair has alleged that Ford's chief of staff told the OPP to buy a "large camper-type vehicle," have it modified to the premier's specifications and keep the costs off the provincial books.

The document shows the van would be kitted out with a dozen specialty items, including a mini-fridge, a 32-inch television with Blu-ray player, a leather power reclining sofa bench, four swivel chairs and desks, for a total price of $50,696 (HST included). 

"Please keep in mind this is only the conversion cost this is excluding the price of the van," says the estimate dated Nov. 21, 2018, from a company called A1 Mobility.

Ford's appointment schedule shows he personally visited the company's Mississauga office on Nov. 5. 

The estimate for van customization is attached to emails between the company, Ford's executive assistant, Nico Fidani, and members of the OPP. Fidani is using a personal email address, not his government of Ontario address. ...

A spokesperson for Ford denies there was any attempt to keep the cost of the van hidden from the public. ...

Ford's director of media relations, Simon Jefferies, said "The emails sent to the OPP from a member of the premier's office staff are not an official procurement of a van, instead they are a cost-estimate and reveal an effort to minimize expense." ...

He added that it is "extremely troubling that Mr. Blair is apparently using his office to obtain confidential information and documentation and then filing such documents in a public court record to further his own personal agenda." 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doug-ford-camper-van-1.5032704

OPP Deputy Commissioner Brad Blair has been vindicated, despite being fired by the Ford government, by Ron Taverner, longtime Doug Ford friend who Ford had the job qualifications for the position of OPP commissioner changed when Taverner failed to meet them, withdrawing from considering for OPP commissioner. Even more troubling is Ford considers the commissioner's job a "political appointment".

Taverner, a Toronto Police superintendent and long-time friend of Premier Doug Ford, announced Wednesday evening that he will not take on the role given the controversy surrounding his appointment.

Former Ontario Provincial Police deputy commissioner Brad Blair, who was also a candidate for the top job, has asked the courts to force the provincial ombudsman to investigate the hiring, saying it raises concerns of political interference. He was fired this week, but the government denies there was any political involvement, saying the public service made the decision because Blair released confidential OPP information through his court filings.

Blair has alleged his termination was an attempt to muzzle him. His lawyer, Julian Falconer, says the firing was “legally suspect.” “Mr. Blair contests the legal validity of the termination of his employment as a sworn police officer of the OPP and he will seek full accountability and compensation for the actions leading to this termination,” Falconer said in a statement Thursday.

Blair’s efforts have come with significant personal costs, Falconer said. “Last night’s news vindicates Brad Blair’s unwavering resolve to protect the OPP from political interference,” he wrote. “It is sad in the extreme that the destruction of a good man’s career is the price to be paid for exposing political cronyism and abuse of power.”

Ontario’s Integrity Commissioner is looking at the circumstances around Taverner’s hiring, and Taverner had asked for his appointment to be delayed until that investigation was complete. The integrity office did not immediately respond to a question Thursday about the status of its probe. ...

Ford has previously described the job of OPP commissioner as a “political appointment,” but told the integrity commissioner in a December letter that he is not aware of any consultation with his office on the rank requirement change. ...

Blair has also threatened to sue Ford, alleging the premier damaged his reputation when he said Blair violated the Police Services Act by speaking out against Taverner’s hiring.

https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/fired-brad-blair-vindicated-by-ro...

Doug Ford is also facing heavy criticism over his changes to autism funding. Sounds familiar.

Doug Ford once waged war against a shelter for disabled youth. Now he’s Premier of Ontario and he’s gutting support for autistic children. 

Parents across Ontario are up in arms about the Ford government’s recent overhaul of the program supporting children with autism. Both Premier Doug Ford and Lisa MacLeod, Minister for Children, Community and Social Services, were confronted by mobs by angry parents everywhere they turned last weekend. ...

For years, parents of children with autism in Ontario have been subject to long wait-lists and fairly limited support. There are currently 23,000 children diagnosed with autism on the Ontario government’s therapy wait-list, but only 8,400 are currently in the program and receiving therapy. Under pressure from families to fix the system, the old Wynne Liberal government introduced controversial changes in 2017 that allowed families to receive funding through private providers while waiting for more scarce service-provider support through regional service providers. But all in all, the long waits continued. ...

Last week, Minister MacLeod announced the limited support families with children with autism are currently receiving will become even more limited. ...

As the Canadian Press reported, families will receive a maximum lifetime total of up to $140,000 per child for treatment, although the cap could be even lower depending on what age the child enters the program. ...

The most intense treatment can cost up to $80,000 per year.  At that cost, Ford’s support for children with autism won’t go far, leaving many families to pay tens of thousands of dollars out-of-pocket in healthcare costs. Even more infuriating, many parents and advocates notes, is Ford’s proposal that funding not depend on need but on age. There is enormous variation in the needs of children with autism, regardless of age.  ...

Parents of children with autism are outraged by the changes.  Over the weekend, McLeod was mobbed by angry parents at a photo-op in suburban Ottawa who were upset by the changes brought in by the Ford government. ...

If you thought picking a fight with parents of autistic children might be a bridge too far for Ford’s right-wing allies, think again. Over the weekend, the Toronto Sun published an editorial claiming the cuts to support for autistic children is really about “fairness and balance,” while absurdly claiming parents of kids with autism who’ve received support have “hit the jackpot”. ...

https://pressprogress.ca/heres-why-parents-across-ontario-are-furious-ab...

The fate of global warming doubters:

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he believes climate change is among the reasons eastern Ontario homeowners are trying to save their homes from flooding for the second time in three years.

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2019/04/26/doug-ford-ontario-flood_a_23717...

I deliberately put this under the scandal thread because that is how I think Ford is handling climate change. But he is like Trump, in that he is shameless no matter how wrong he is factually and/or morally, and just bulls forward saying whatever needs to be said at the moment. He then returns to preaching his core beliefs and implementing the related policies shortly thereafter, as Trump did with Charlottesville. 

Another Ford government member has been fired in the ever growing Dean French patronage scandal. This follows the resignation of two seemingly unqualified applicants to $165,000 a year jobs that had been eliminated as not worth the money twenty years ago, the resignation of French's niece from another patronage post and French's own resignation. 

Another Ontario bureaucrat has been let go from Premier Doug Ford government just hours after reports that he had a long-standing relationship with former chief of staff Dean French.

A memo to deputy ministers shared with CBC News says Peter Fenwick, the government's strategic transformation adviser, will be leaving the public service "effective immediately." ...

The memo also says the transformation office is being dissolved after an evaluation of the structure of the cabinet office. Fenwick's termination comes the same day the Toronto Star revealed he had been a "long-time life insurance customer" of French. Fenwick reportedly told the newspaper his relationship with French dates back to the "late '90s." 

French himself resigned in late June after the patronage appointments of two people with personal ties to him were rescinded.  ...

Also Thursday, Ontario's integrity commissioner said he could not  publicly release findings of a possible probe into government appointments with ties to the premier's former chief of staff — only the premier could, and it's not clear if he would do so.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/dean-french-ontario-ford-fenwick-...

Doug Ford's chief of staff, Dean French, resigned one day after one of the largest cabinet shuffles in Canadian history was aimed at giving Ford's government a new face following all of the criticism of its cuts.

Two of four appointments to the job of agent-general, a position that has not existed in Ontario since the 1990s but paid questionably qualified people $165,000, were given to people with connections to French. 

Global News has learned the Ford government is appointing 26-year-old Tyler Albrecht, a friend of Premier Ford’s chief of staff’s son, to an advisor role in New York City.

In a release, the province announced four of eight appointments to the role of agents-general in different cities around the world. According the government, the new advisors will be responsible for providing expert guidance and helping Ontario businesses attract investment and grow international trade. Agents-general positions have not existed in Ontario since the 1990s.

https://globalnews.ca/news/5413872/ford-government-appointment-advisor-nyc/

French's niece, through marriage, also resigned from her appointed position after her connection to French was revealed. This very definition of nepotism further damages the Ford brand of saving taxpayer's money by ending patronage.

Former Chief of Staff to the Premier Dean French’s niece has resigned, hours after it was revealed she had been appointed to the Ontario’s Public Accountants Council back in December.

NDP MPP Taras Natyshak said in a statement, “This reeks of nepotism, with paycheques, power and favours for Ford’s inner circle, while everyday Ontarians get nothing but cuts.”

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2019/06/25/dean-frenchs-niece-resigns-from-o...