‘The people don’t want it,’ Doug Ford says about the decision to sell his new plane just days after purchase. The Ontario Premier says he listened to the taxpayers who told him over the weekend he needed to reverse his decision to buy a used $29-million private jet for his use.
Ford says he should have made the case to the public as to why he needed a jet before buying it.
Meanwhile, members of his Progressive Conservative government hailed his decision to reverse course, spinning it as a ‘good leadership’ decision.
Ford’s office confirmed Friday the purchase of a used 2016 Bombardier Challenger 650 jet, saying the premier needed it for travel throughout the vast province as well as to the United States.
Criticism from across the political spectrum was swift, with opposition parties dubbing the aircraft the “gravy plane.”
Ford backed down just 48 hours later, saying he has heard now is not the right time for the expense of a government plane.
‘The people don’t want it, that’s fine with me,” Ford told reporters in Ottawa on Monday.
Ford was not in question period, but in response to Opposition questions about the plane, government house leader Steve Clark said “no government is perfect,” and it shows leadership that Ford recognized the decision needs to be changed.
Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said it takes “guts” to make decisions like that.
Really? In fact it would have taken common sense to realize the time was absolutely not right (if it ever will be) for the premier to be ferried about in a $29 million taxpayer funded private jet.
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