Doug Ford's Tories claim Bonnie Crombie is out of touch with 'everyday people' and vacations 'in the Hamptons'

Crombie, who won a third-ballot victory Saturday at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, insisted in a flurry of broadcast interviews that she can withstand any Tory attacks.

"This province needs a change and we need a very strong alternative to Doug Ford and that's what I intend to be," the Liberal chief told host David Common on CBC Radio's Metro Morning.

On Newstalk 1010's Moore in the Morning, Crombie said she had heard congratulations from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a bevy of federal Liberal and provincial Tory cabinet ministers.

"But I've not heard from the premier," she told host John Moore.

In a fundraising appeal to donors Monday afternoon, the Tories said “Bonnie lives a lavish lifestyle, flying in private jets, riding shotgun in Maseratis, wearing Rolexes and vacationing at her home in the Hamptons.”

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• Dec 31, 1969
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• Dec 31, 1969
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Similarly — shunning the perfunctory congratulatory messages newly elected leaders are traditionally given by opponents — the Tories instead ordered some cabinet ministers and MPPs to post social media messages dictated by party spin doctors.

In one shared by Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria and Community and Social Services Minister Michael Parsa, they maintained "she doesn’t get the concerns of everyday people. She drives fancy cars and vacations at her home in the Hamptons."

On Saturday, Crombie noted she doesn't even own a car and inherited a house in Long Island, New York from an aunt and uncle who died.

The Tory missives neglect to mention that Ford, the multimillionaire scion of a powerful family, owns palatial homes in Toronto, Muskoka, and Florida.

Liberal MPP John Fraser (Ottawa South) said the vitriol toward Crombie shows that “Doug Ford’s afraid.”

“So the guy who tried to give $8.3 billion to his fundraisers and friends, who is under a criminal investigation, who threw a lavish probably million dollar fundraiser for family in his home that's not on the books, is firing that accusation?" said Fraser, referring to the Greenbelt land swap scandal now being investigated by the RCMP.

"Maybe Doug Ford should just take a hard look in the mirror before he starts saying things like that."

Liberal MPP Ted Hsu (Kingston and the Islands), who finished last in the four-candidate leadership race, told the legislature that Crombie knows what challenges Ontarians face.

"Ontario Liberals have elected Bonnie Crombie who, as mayor, understands the struggles that mayors and their municipalities face and has the experience of fighting the negligence, interference and shady dealings of this Conservative government," said Hsu.

"Now, the Liberal team is more prepared than ever to tackle the cost of living, housing, health-care shortages, the climate crisis and hold the Conservative government to account on these and many other issues," he said.

Liberal MPs Nate Erskine-Smith (Beaches-East York) and Yasir Naqvi (Ottawa Centre) were the other runners-up in the seven-and-a-half leadership race.

Crombie, who wants the Liberals to raise $1 million for their campaign war chest over the next four weeks, will remain as Mississauga mayor until the municipal and Peel Region budgets are completed early in the New Year.

While she had mused about seeking the vacant seat in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex in an upcoming byelection, she said a local Liberal candidate has been selected.

"If a seat presented itself that was logical, of course I would seek that seat," she told Newstalk 1010.