Ford lambasts Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie over potential Liberal leadership bid

Premier Doug Ford trained his sights on potential provincial Liberal leadership candidate and Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie Wednesday, saying it would be a "slap in the face" to residents for her to continue in the city's top job while campaigning to lead the third-place party.

A visibly irritated Ford said Crombie's provincial ambitions are about her own "political agenda" and that staying on as mayor while running for the Liberal leadership would mean neglecting her constituents.

"Bonnie is going to be running around the province not worrying about the people of Mississauga. In my opinion, it's a real slap in the face to the residents there," he said.

Ford made the comments at an unrelated announcement in London, Ont.

Crombie announced this week that she has set up an exploratory committee for a potential bid to helm the beleaguered Ontario Liberals after two abysmal elections that left the party with just seven seats at Queen's Park.

In an interview with CBC Toronto Tuesday, Crombie touted her "centrist" bona fides and said the Liberals have veered too far to the left while Ford's Progressive Conservatives have strayed too far right.

She took aim at Ford's government, saying it lacks transparency and accountability. A campaign website for Crombie said Ford has under-spent on key public services.

"We have some serious problems in Ontario, and I can't stand by as the current government takes us down the wrong path and does irrevocable damage for generations," the site reads.

Crombie said she would remain as mayor of Mississauga while she mulls a run, only limiting her attendance at some events.

"I will only be cutting back some of the events that I typically attend. I attend more than a dozen on a weekend and two or three every evening. And some of those will be cut back so that I could meet with Ontarians," she said.

"If there comes a time when I do enter the race and I need to take time off, I'll do that. But to resign my position when I'm not sure if I'm going to enter the race or don't know what the outcome will be, I don't think that's fair for any of us, quite frankly."

CBC Toronto has reached out to her office for a response to Ford's comments Wednesday.

A deadline of Sept. 5 has been set for candidates to register to run for Liberal leader. Contestants must pay an entry fee of $100,000 and a refundable $25,000 deposit. Party members will cast their votes by ranked ballot on Nov. 25 and Nov. 26 and the Liberals will announce their new leader on Dec. 2.

Ford's tone was a marked departure from just last week. Asked about Crombie potentially running for Liberal leader at a May 15 announcement — where Crombie was also present — Ford largely deflected, saying his focus is on working with local leaders to advance their interests.

Days later, Ford's government said it would dissolve Peel Region by 2025, making Mississauga and neighbouring Brampton independent municipalities — a cause long trumpeted by Crombie and former Mississauga mayor Hazel McCallion.

But Wednesday, Ford said Crombie should "bring it on" and that the best option would be for her to make a leadership bid and there be a new mayor in Mississauga.

"Run for leader and let's make this thing happen," Ford said.

The two have had public disagreements in the past, particularly over Bill 23 and how it could affect the finances of Ontario municipalities. In that instance, Ford specifically named Crombie as one of the mayors "whining and complaining" about the bill aimed at expediting the development process for housing.

Politicians staying in their roles while running for other positions is not necessarily unusual. This week, the PCs announced that Toronto city councillor Gary Crawford would run for the party in an as-yet-unscheduled Scarborough byelection, while making clear Crawford would continue at city hall through the campaign.