Shielding accuser was priority: Ford
TRENTON, ONT. — Premier Doug Ford says he did not reveal former cabinet minister Jim Wilson abruptly resigned Friday over sexual misconduct allegations to protect the privacy of the accuser.
Denying NDP charges there was a “cover up” of the true reason for the dramatic departure, Ford said Wednesday he personally approved a press release stating the veteran legislator was leaving only to seek treatment for “addiction issues.”
“When we sat down with the person that gave the allegations, they repeatedly asked us not to make this a media story,” the premier told reporters in his first public comments since the scandal began unfolding at 6 p.m. Friday.
“It takes courage to come forward to put truth to power and I commend them,” Ford added, speaking of Wilson’s accuser and others who made sexual misconduct allegations about Andrew Kimber, the premier’s former executive director of issues management and legislative affairs, who also left the government suddenly Friday.
“They’re a priority … with all due respect to the media, they trump the media.”
Ford said an independent firm, which he would not name, was hired “immediately” Friday to conduct investigations of the allegations against Wilson and Kimber. Investigators have begun interviewing people. He added the accusers are free to “go to the police if they wanted to. They haven’t as of yet. They don’t want to.”
The departure of Kimber was not mentioned in the Wilson press release, which also stated the minister had gone a step further from resigning his portfolio to quit the Progressive Conservative caucus. Wilson, a Tory MPP since 1990, will sit as an independent.
“He was asked to resign,” Ford said of Wilson, noting that if the minister had not quit “he would have been fired immediately” and that his addiction “is a real issue.”
The premier declined to reveal his conversation with Wilson but added “he understood … the situation. He understood he needed to leave the party.”
Ford, who was at the air force museum at CFB Trenton to talk about an upcoming program to help members of the military in Ontario, also had stern words for Kimber.
“He lasted about a minute when we found out,” the premier said before referencing both men. “They’re gone, they’re done. See ya later.”
Sources told the Star that Wilson stepped down after a complaint from a male PC staffer. Similarly, Kimber left after it emerged that texts of a sexual nature had been sent to female PC staffers in the past.