Ford apologizes after personal insults in legislature, Liberal MPP says

Ontario Premier Doug Ford insulted Liberal critic Stephanie Smyth in the Legislature, triggering calls for an apology.

An Ontario Liberal member of provincial parliament says Premier Doug Ford has apologized to her after he hurled a personal insult at her Thursday in the legislature.

Stephanie Smyth, who represents Toronto-St. Paul’s, says Ford reached out to her and she accepted his apology.

The comments in question came during a debate about a law that restricts public access to the records of the premier, cabinet ministers and their staff.

Smyth, who worked for decades as a broadcast journalist before entering politics, asked Ford why a premier who claims to be highly accountable is making it hard to hold him to account.

He responded by insulting her tenure as a journalist, then doubled and tripled down when the remarks were met with outcry and calls for apologies from the opposition benches.

Smyth says now that Ford as apologized, she hopes to see a focus on debating the issues when the legislature sits next in May.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 26, 2026.

Allison Jones, The Canadian Press