Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he’s been “inundated” by calls from people telling him to “keep the damn plane,” as the government looks to urgently sell the $28.9 million jet it quietly acquired last week.
The premier’s office confirmed Friday it had taken possession of a second-hand Bombardier Challenger 650 to transport Ford across the country and into the United States.
Two days after the purchase became public, the province then announced it would sell the aircraft — nicknamed the “gravy plane”— in the face of massive outrage.
On Tuesday, however, Ford said he only regretted how he had communicated the plan, repeatedly outlining why he needed a plane and how it could have been used by other ministers or government agencies.
“I should have went out there, put the case forward to the people, and I didn’t,” the premier mused at Queen’s Park. “I should have done it quicker; I’ll take responsibility.”
Ford said it wasn’t a mistake to buy the plane he is now looking to sell, suggesting the media had inaccurately framed it as his own private jet.
“I’m not complaining,” he insisted.
“The purpose of my plane was not my private plane. And I understand it just gets more clicks, but it just wasn’t accurate. I’ll take responsibility, I won’t blame you, folks.”
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During a 30-minute appearance, he insisted that the plane was still necessary.
“Honestly, folks, it’s a no-brainer,” he argued. “It’s kind of embarrassing (for) a province our size.”
Reflecting on whether he was right to now look to sell on the jet, Ford complained about the delays he has experienced flying commercial and the stress of taking smaller planes to northern Ontario.
“When you’re up north and the storm’s hitting and (you’re in a) little single prop (plane), you can sit there and put your arm on the other side and touch the plane, and you’re bouncing up and down,” he said, pointing out some of the planes don’t have bathrooms.
“I’m praying to God that we land; it’s terrifying. I just got to tell you.”
The premier also recounted an incident on a commercial flight where he said someone “got into the rocket fuel” and started “calling me names at 30,000 feet in the air.”
Critics immediately jumped on the comments, saying Ford was throwing himself a “pity party” and didn’t need his own plane.
“I think the premier needs to put his big boy pants on. Are you kidding me? If he doesn’t want to fly, fine, drive,” said Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles.
“Give me a break. That is not an excuse to get a luxury, private jet and pay $30 million of taxpayer money. If he has a problem or an issue with flying, he can get some help for that.”
The premier confirmed the jet purchase had gone to cabinet for approval, saying nobody had raised an objection.
His office confirmed it had taken possession of the jet last week, that no modifications had been made to it since then and that it was originally scheduled to take flight.
Ontario Liberal interim leader John Fraser suggested Ford was feeling sorry for himself.
“‘You’re all so hard on me, I’m only human, I make mistakes,’” he said the premier was telling people. “He’s made a lot of mistakes and I’m tired of this and Ontarians are tired of this schtick.”
Ford said he was “confident” the government would be able to recoup the full $28.9 million it spent on the jet as it tries to resell it. He didn’t say what would happen if it posted a loss.
Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said Ford should repay the difference if Ontario makes a loss when the Challenger is sold.
“I think the premier should pay for it,” he said, pointing out how much leverage a potential buyer would have given the government is “pretty desperate to sell.”
His promising people so much and every time he makes a promise he goes behind people‘s back buying a jet plane. There is no housing for homeless people where is the nurses he promised he promised I don’t know how many hospital bed he was going behind. everybody’s back with the green belt. I don’t know what people see in him. I hope from the bottom of my heart that he will resign from himself or they gonna throw him out is there to make it better for the people he’s only making it worse like the food he said he will to lower the tax on the food. People are hungry. People cannot eat what they want specially, our elder people shame on your dog you better resign I hope nobody will vote for him. He only destroys nothing. Good came out of him. Even the bees are hating him, they stuck him in the mouth because he says it’s a big lie stand-up don’t let him destroy Canada. He only wants money to fill his own purpose at the same time. People are sleeping in the street and are hungry and people are dying in the waiting room at the hospital and people are dying in the winter freezing to death because there is no housing. promise what he was promising the people and everything he says and promise it’s a big big big lie as soon as he open, his mouth only lies step dog
Doug can use one of Ontario’s six 19 passengers DHC-6 Twin Otters to get us those interprovincial trade deals and U.S. tariff relief we desperately need.
And how Canadian would that be if Dough showed up at the D.C. airport to beg Trump for tariff relief in a DHC-6 Twin Otter?
Heck, wouldn’t even need the airport, with floats he could land in front of the White House in the Lincoln Memorial reflection pool.
He should be made to pay for the loss.
Poor Doug Ford. He should quit his job if he doesn’t like the travelling required as part of the job description. Cry me a river. He is more than well compensated and the province and environment has more than paid the price of having him as the premier, and unfortunately will continue to do so for decades to come. Thanks for nothing.
Ford said it’s embarrassing not have a private jet for a province of this size. Well it’s embarrassing for a country like Canada having people living on the streets and using food banks in record numbers but that doesn’t seem to bother governments of every level. Canada has an economy going down the drain but no government at any level seems to care.
Except it’s reported this gravy plane can’t land at those small northern airports.
The Conservative Party should pay the difference of the sale. Guaranteed it will be sold for a loss. Just throwing away tax payers money.
Doug ford needs to resign
What’s embarrassing for a province our size; high demand for food banks, high gas prices, and unaffordable housing. Just to name a few. *insert eye roll here*
So the available “terrifying” air service is fine for Canadians local to the north and servicing the north, but not for a Premier who may fly north once per term? Invest that money in northerns’ safety, not just your own.
You dont fly into communities that use small prop planes. I know because I work in those areas. I fly economy and I fly in the small 6 seater prop planes. Both are safe. You just got caught misusing funds.
@ Scott agreed 💯
Maybe if we could see his phone records we could see all the people urging him to keep the Damm plane.
Ford of all people should know that politicians get remarks hurled at them. Funny every time he tries to pull a fast one on Canadians and gets caught, he made a mistake. Just like the greenbelt, was off limits, till it wasn’t, lining his buddies pockets, changed his tune when being investigated. That was a mistake too. Maybe you need to start fixing the healthcare system, affordability, education, issues that matter to the people in Ontario. Take your pity party elsewhere Ford. Boo Fu##ing Hoo!