Ontario Liberals Call for Accountability Reset as Ford Restricts Freedom of Information to Hide What’s on His Personal Phone
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
23 March 2026
QUEEN’S PARK, ON. — Today, MPP John Fraser, Interim Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, and MPP Stephanie Smyth, Ontario Liberal Critic for Ethics, Integrity & Accountability, held a press conference calling for real government accountability.
After an unprecedented 102-day absence from governing, Doug Ford has finally reopened the doors to Queen’s Park — but the doors of transparency and accountability have never been more tightly shut.
“There’s something really bad on that phone. You don’t change a 40-year-old law and make it retroactive unless you’re trying to hide something really bad,” said Fraser. “After eight long years, everything in Ontario is worse, and instead of focusing on protecting Ontario families, Doug Ford is focused on protecting himself.”
“If you use your personal phone for government business, it’s a government phone. That means people have a right to see it. That’s how we keep governments accountable,” said Smyth. “Something is in those records tied to the Greenbelt, Ontario Place, the Skills Development Fund, and who knows what else. Doug Ford doesn’t want people to see who’s influencing him or what’s really behind those decisions.”
Ontario Liberals are calling for a reset on government accountability, urging Doug Ford’s off-the-rails Conservative government to adopt the following measures:
- Publish all completed FOI requests
- Ban personal emails and devices for government business, as recommended by the Information and Privacy Commissioner
- Ban gifts and favours that create even the appearance of a conflict of interest and require ministers’ immediate family to disclose lobbying contacts or gifts within 7 days, as recommended by the Integrity Commissioner
- Strengthen enforcement by allowing the Integrity Commissioner to launch investigations independently without referral.
“Ontarians pay their taxes with the expectation their trust won’t be abused and their money won’t be misused. These changes would ensure decisions are made for the public, not insiders.
Ontario Liberals will introduce legislation to enact these reforms and restore accountability.
