Ontario's Legal Push Against Release of Ford's Personal Call Records

Post by : Mina Rahman

Premier Doug Ford’s legal representatives are taking a stand against a significant transparency ruling that might mandate the disclosure of call records from his private mobile phone. They contend in court that this directive is grounded in erroneous logic and poses a significant administrative strain on the province.

A panel of three judges convened on Wednesday to assess the Ontario government’s appeal against a decision made by the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC), which concluded that there were valid reasons to suspect Ford had used his personal phone for official discussions.

Advocacy groups pushing for transparency argue that permitting a premier to manage public affairs via a private device without oversight fundamentally undermines the principles of open governance and diminishes democratic integrity. They maintain that Ford should not evade transparency obligations by utilizing a personal number.

The IPC’s ruling from late 2024 followed freedom-of-information inquiries seeking access to the premier’s call logs. The adjudicator deduced that it was “logical and probable” Ford conducted governmental matters on his personal device, particularly as he has a history of publicly distributing his number during various events.

The ruling determined that some communications were likely linked to official responsibilities, thus rendering portions of the call logs subject to public record assessment. The government responded swiftly with an appeal, asserting that the ruling prioritizes transparency excessively while neglecting privacy rights enshrined in provincial legislation.

Recently, Ford admitted to receiving a surge of incoming calls and has urged organizations to streamline communications via designated contacts. His legal team argues that the IPC instruction is without precedent and could affect a multitude of public employees who occasionally utilize personal devices.