Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s speech at his party’s policy convention will be open to the media for coverage. His party had planned to ban media from its convention this weekend.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
The Ontario Progressive Conservative party is backtracking on its plan to ban media from its convention this weekend, now saying that Premier Doug Ford’s speech will be open to reporters.
The change follows backlash to the party’s plan to exclude media from the entire convention, which is a break from political norms. The ban was first reported in the Toronto Star this week.
The decision to allow media into the convention for the Premier’s speech was confirmed to The Globe and Mail by Mr. Ford’s campaign manager, Kory Teneycke.
Mr. Teneycke chalked up the issue to a “miscommunication” on the party’s part, even as Mr. Ford defended the move days earlier.
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Still, the media will not be welcome at Mr. Ford’s fireside chat on Saturday with party members and will be excluded from closed-door meetings on issues, such as electoral strategy and fundraising, Mr. Teneycke said, which he said is typical for the party’s conventions.
“The private stuff’s private. But as you know, the Premier’s not shy in giving a speech and having people listen to it. It’s not some offence to his world view,” Mr. Teneycke told the Globe and Mail on Friday.
“Turns out I think we said something different to you guys,” he said. “Sorry about that.”
Mr. Ford is set to give his speech to the party faithful on Saturday evening. A new party executive will also be announced on Sunday.
Party spokesman Peter Turkington told The Globe earlier on Friday that the policy to exclude media still stands.
“I can confirm that the Ontario PC Party Convention is a closed event and will not be open to media attendance,” he said in an e-mailed statement.
Mr. Turkington later followed up to say he’s given the go-ahead for media access to the dinner with the leader on Saturday, which includes Mr. Ford’s speech.
The Premier earlier this week also defended the decision to bar reporters.
“It’s a convention, and I’m out in the media almost every second day, and we’ll chat, but this is a party convention,” Mr. Ford said on Wednesday in Ottawa, where he was attending meetings with fellow premiers and Prime Minister Mark Carney.
“So we’re going to keep it as a party convention, but I’m always open to sit down and chat with you folks anytime you want.”