Ford urged to apologize for personal insults hurled in the legislature
Written by The Canadian Press on April 23, 2026
TORONTO — Ontario’s opposition parties are calling on Premier Doug Ford to apologize for a personal insult he hurled — and repeated — at a Liberal member of provincial parliament.
Most of question period today was focused on amendments in the budget bill that will shield the premier’s records from public access under freedom-of-information laws.
Liberal critic Stephanie Smyth, who worked for decades as a broadcast journalist before entering politics, asked Ford why a premier who claims to be highly accountable is making it hard to hold him to account.
Ford responded by saying that the reason Smyth is in the legislature is because “CP24 didn’t want her anymore.”
He then responded to the ensuing howls of outrage from the opposition benches by adding that “the truth hurts.”
Interim Liberal leader John Fraser and Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner say Ford needs to apologize because the insults were unbecoming of the office of the premier.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 23, 2026.
Allison Jones, The Canadian Press