Ford defends ties to heads of lobbying firms

Ford's relationships with lobbyists questioned Ontario's premier said that decisions made by his government are made without the influence of any third party.

As Ontario Premier Doug Ford weathers an appointments scandal that has consumed his office and led to several high profile resignations and firings – his government is facing fresh allegations of having close ties with the heads of two lobbying firms.

The Globe and Mail reported Tuesday that Ford has relied on Chris Froggatt, a partner at Loyalist Public Affairs, and Kory Teneycke, a managing partner at Rubicon Strategy, for advice on everything from the recent sweeping cabinet shuffle, to crisis management and strategy.

Froggatt and Teneycke played essential roles in the Progressive Conservative’s successful 2018 election campaign, which saw the party return to power for the first time in 15 years.

After the election, both Teneycke and Froggatt went on to launch government relations firms with high profile client rosters like Uber Canada, Canopy Growth, Loblaw, and the Ontario Medical Association.

Both Teneycke and Froggatt told the paper while they provide advice in the context of the 2022 election campaign they never discuss client issues with the premier or members of his government.

Multiple calls, emails and text messages to both Froggatt and Teneycke made by CTV News Toronto have not been answered.

Ford characterizes his conversations with the men as “political advice.”

“People can give political advice, they’ve been doing that for centuries,” Ford said at an unrelated announcement in Lucan, Ont. on Tuesday.

But former Progressive Conservative MPP Randy Hillier said that when he was kicked out of the party earlier this year, the Premier’s Office sent Froggatt to speak with him.

“When Chris Froggatt first approached me, I asked him directly, under what authority are you engaging in these discussions and he said ‘When you’re speaking to me, regard it as if you’re speaking to the premier,” Hillier told CTV News Toronto.

Opposition parties called the relationship “highly questionable.”

“You’re going to be a lobbyist and do that job or you’re going to be an advisor to the premier, but to do both is inappropriate and highly questionable,” said Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner.

Ford said that decisions made by his government are led by cabinet without the influence of any third party.

“No one can influence Doug Ford or our cabinet," he said.