Colin D'Mello | Global News

EXCLUSIVE: The Ford government has spent five years, and an untold amount in taxpayers dollars, fighting to keep their 2018 mandate letters a secret. Here - in full - are all 24 sets of directives, leaked to and verified by Global News. globalnews.ca/news/9942332/o… #onpoli

@sarobertson_ That’s not true Scott. The ambassador’s perspective carries weight and value and journalists have a right to challenge his assertions.

"Thirty minutes after that social media post, Pete Hoekstra sat down with Global News for an exclusive interview and defended the president's threats." Canadian media insisting on platforming Hoekstra are complicit in sanewashing Trump's attacks on Canada, and it needs to stop.

Premier Doug Ford refuses to ask any other specific question about Stan Cho only saying: "Its unacceptable, it's not tolerated, and Stan did the right thing." #onpoli

Premier Doug Ford says Stan Cho "did the right thing" and says it was "unacceptable." Ford is asked about the other cabinet ministers on the list, will they resign? Ford says he's told caucus members to repay all the funds and that he won't "tolerate it" but doesn't answer the question about other resignations. #onpoli

Premier Doug Ford is now using a wildfire update news conference to bash his political opponents. Ford is accusing other political parties of politicizing the money his government spends fighting fires. He calls it inaccurate and untruthful. This is the first forest fire update the Ford government has held. #onpoli

Premier Doug Ford, holding a news conference on wildfires: - 191 active wildland fires - 81 considered out of control - 11 are under control - 10 communities have been evacuated - 4 additional communities under warning #onpoli

The Opposition parties respond to Stan Cho's resignation from Premier Ford's cabinet. #onpoli

Interesting to note that Premier Doug Ford claims Stan Cho made a "mistake." But the "mistake" happened repeatedly over three years: 2023-24: $1,431 in Toronto accommodation 2024-25: $3,081 in Toronto accommodation 2025-26: $11,691 in Toronto accommodation The "mistake" was also being repeatedly made by multiple PC MPPS to the overall tune of $120,000 #onpoli

NEW: In a statement, MPP Stan Cho says he only claimed accommodation on the "nights the legislature sat late" and often "made a choice that was easier for me." "Looking back now, I made a mistake. I am taking full responsibility. I do not want to be a distraction," Cho said. #onpoli

Tourism, Culture and Gaming Minister Stan Cho has resigned from cabinet after a week of scandal over his spending on hotels in Toronto, despite living six kilometres from Queen’s Park. globalnews.ca/news/11969860/… #onpoli

BREAKING: Premier Doug Ford is losing a second cabinet minister: "I also want to acknowledge Neil Lumsden’s announcement that he will be retiring from Cabinet and the provincial legislature effective August 4.  Neil has been a dedicated public servant with a storied career during his time in the CFL, as a minister and as the MPP for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. In particular, I want to thank Neil for his work supporting Toronto’s successful hosting of the FIFA World Cup. Ontario is lucky to have benefited from his leadership. I wish Neil and his family all the very best in his retirement.” #onpoli

BREAKING: Stan Cho has resigned from Premier Doug Ford's cabinet in the wake of the $16,000 hotel expenses scandal first revealed by Global News. Ford statement: “Earlier today, I accepted the resignation of Stan Cho from Cabinet, effective immediately. He has acknowledged and taken responsibility for his mistake. He will continue to serve the people of Willowdale as their Member of Provincial Parliament." #onpoli

NEW: In the summer of 2024, as PC MPPs began charging taxpayers for Toronto hotel stays, members of the Ford gov’t pushed to update expense rules for elected officials. Specifically: to expand the “special circumstances” category to go beyond extreme weather events and include night sittings at Queen’s Park. The very rules they’re now looking to eliminate. globalnews.ca/news/11969054/… #onpoli

Premier Doug Ford, holding a news conference in Windsor, says the hotel expenses incurred by 20 of his MPPs is "totally unacceptable" and he told MPPs that they would be paying back "every single penny." That's not what the premier said yesterday. He indicated that night sittings would be within bounds #onpoli

Premier Doug Ford on the defence. Ford insists that the “party with the taxpayers dollars are over” despite several of his cabinet ministers being caught up in a $120,000 hotel expense scandal. globalnews.ca/news/11967511/… #onpoli

NEW: Premier Doug Ford breaks his silence on the PC MPP hotel expense scandal insisting the $121,000 in taxpayer charges are "nothing" compared to other governments. Ford also offered parameters for what will be paid back. globalnews.ca/news/11967511/… #onpoli

As Progressive Conservatives MPPs face a wave of backlash over hotel room expenses, the Ford government is now looking to eliminate a category that allows elected officials to bill taxpayers for overnight stays under “special circumstances.” #onpoli

NEW: The Ontario NDP is calling for every penny incurred by PC MPPs on hotel rooms to be paid back in full. The government has said only costs that don't align with the "intent" or "spirit" of the rules will be repaid. #onpoli

NEW: The Ontario NDP has tallied up the bill. $120,000 in hotel rooms expenses, incurred by GTA-ares PC MPPs, billed to taxpayers. #onpoli

After Global News broke this story, there has been a shifting narrative: Tourism minister, Stan Cho first promised to only pay back anything that wasn’t in the “spirit” of the rules. He later backtracked and said he would repay all $16,000. Then the Premier’s Office said other MPPs who stayed in Toronto hotel rooms, instead of just going home, would pay back anything that didn’t align with the “intent“ of the policy. The Premier’s Office also sent this: “The Legislature is responsible for approving MPP expenses in accordance with the Legislative Guide to Members’ Expenses.” Now, as the Ford government tries to clamp down on a scandal, it’s looking to eliminate the policy altogether. A reminder that just one party has been taking advantage of the expense loophole.

BREAKING: The Ford government is now looking to eliminate the “special circumstances expense” category altogether. Multiple PC party MPPs, including cabinet ministers, have been using that reason to bill taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars for hotel rooms in downtown Toronto. #onpoli