TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has long asked people to call him directly to air their issues, has cancelled his cell phone after being inundated with calls from special interest groups, his office said Wednesday.
The premier frequently gave out his cell number at public events and touted the gesture as sign of just how accessible he was.
A Ford spokeswoman said the premier had to cancel his phone on Tuesday after certain groups, who she did not name, flooded him with calls in recent weeks.
“Special interest groups have co-opted this access with co-ordinated campaigns to push their own agendas,” Ivana Yelich said in a statement. “This has made it impossible for the premier to use his cell phone for the original objective: to speak to the people.”
Yelich added that many messages had also taken on a harassing tone, with some even wishing sickness or death on the premier. She noted that Ford did not wanted to cancel the phone and did so only after being convinced by staff.
“The tone of the messages was the final nail in the coffin,” she said.
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