Ford forced to retract inflammatory comments aimed at Liberal MPP

Ontario Premier Doug Ford was forced to withdraw a comment made in the legislature on Thursday after accusing a Liberal MPP of “hiding in his basement” during mass demonstrations in Ottawa and being a part of the “most politically corrupt government” in provincial history.

Ford’s heated remarks came in response to a line of questions from Liberal Ottawa South MPP John Fraser who drilled down on why the premier refused to participate in the Emergencies Act inquiry examining the weeks-long occupation of Ottawa by protesters.

“As the public saw, I was out there nonstop speaking to the people. The member from Ottawa, he’s hiding in his basement,” Ford said. However, opposition parties claim the premier was “invisible” when they probed his inaction in the February protests.

“I got to remind him, he was part of the most politically corrupt government this province has ever seen, ever,” Ford said.

Subsequently, the speaker of the legislative assembly called on the premier to withdraw his comments. Ford conceded as he sat back in his seat and said, “Enrollment withdrawn.”

His comments come in response to Fraser asking for the premier to drop his court challenge of a summons to appear at the Emergencies Act inquiry.

Fraser urged Ford to “do the right thing” and “take responsibility” by testifying in Ottawa.

In alignment with his remarks on Wednesday, Ford claimed the inquiry was a federal issue, not a provincial one.

"I don't direct the police. I don't direct municipal police.  I don't direct provincial police and I do not ever direct the RCMP," Ford said. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has not yet testified at the inquiry, but last week, he admitted that different levels of government were not always on the same page when it came to dealing with the mass demonstrations in Ottawa.