Ontario solicitor general sought 3-row, 8-seat replacement after vehicle stolen - BERITAJA

The curate successful complaint of rule and bid successful Ontario insisted connected a three-row replacement authorities conveyance and asked about really it could beryllium customized, BERITAJA could reveal, aft his car was surgery into doubly successful the abstraction of 3 months.

Solicitor General Michael Kerzner’s authorities conveyance was stolen from the parking batch of a Home Depot adjacent Premier Doug Ford’s location successful July 2024 and yet recovered by Ontario Provincial Police.

After months of costly repairs, it was returned to the minister’s attraction successful precocious October of the aforesaid year, earlier being surgery into and severely damaged wrong days.

According to a bid of soul emails and invoices obtained by BERITAJA utilizing state of accusation laws, the minister’s agency ruled retired immoderate replacement vehicles that didn’t person 3 rows.

Staff besides complained rental replacements were insufficient and asked what customizations could beryllium made to caller vehicles during 2 repair jobs that were billed to the Ministry of Solicitor General for much than $39,000.

The emails show Kerzner’s agency spent months considering alternatives while his stolen conveyance was down for repairs, giving civilian servants specifications connected what size he would accept.

But they yet decided to wait.

The conveyance was first stolen successful July 2024, and repairs were vanished successful October, mostly because of a backlog successful parts.

The minister’s agency said unit had looked for the replacements because of really agelong the car was down for repairs, but yet decided to instrumentality pinch the mended car.

A spokesperson said successful a connection that the civilian work manages conveyance purchases and replacements.

“Vehicles for Cabinet Ministers are chosen from a pre-approved Vendor of Record database to guarantee vehicles purchased are costs effective while gathering operational needs,” they wrote.

Critics reason that the power Kerzner and his unit spent trying to root him a three-row replacement conveyance was a motion of misplaced priorities.

“I conjecture erstwhile you deliberation it’s OK for the premier to buy a luxury backstage jet, $40,000 to instrumentality retired your authorities thrust is mini potatoes,” Ontario Liberal interim leader John Fraser said.

“The solicitor wide should walk much clip worrying about the 150 criminals he fto retired by correction than dwelling connected his individual needs for his authorities vehicle.”

The documents obtained by BERITAJA show Kerzner’s conveyance was first stolen astatine the Home Depot successful Etobicoke, wherever Premier Ford said he had threatened to give an alleged shoplifter “a beating.”

Kerzner is one of astatine slightest 4 ministers who person had their authorities vehicles stolen successful caller years.

According to an incident study revenge aft the event, the conveyance was stolen connected July 11, 2024, and yet recovered. When officers were capable to get it back, the interior had been severely damaged, pinch repair activity estimated astatine complete $20,000.

Soon aft the theft, Kerzner’s unit started sending regular messages to the civilian servants who look aft authorities vehicles, complaining about the rental the curate had been fixed and asking if they could get a caller car.

“Is it imaginable to bid the Minister a caller car and usage this 1 for the fleet service?” 1 staffer wrote successful August 2024.

“The rental was capable for a mates of weeks connected short-notice but we require a much imperishable solution. We person concerns about costs pinch the rental car and that the size doesn’t meet our ongoing requirements.”

What followed was a bid of messages betwixt Kerzner’s unit and civilian servants successful which the curate appeared to cull respective replacement vehicles, including a Nissan Pathfinder and VW Atlas.

Early successful the process, Kerzner’s unit made it clear he wouldn’t judge immoderate conveyance pinch less than 3 rows and 8 seats for his charismatic authorities car.

“If you cognize disconnected the apical that immoderate of these models are not 3-rows that spot 7-8 passengers, consciousness free to region them from consideration,” 1 connection read.

It’s not clear why Kerzner would request to transportation 8 passengers successful his authorities vehicle.

Another email underscored the ask.

“Can you please do a hunt for a caller Toyota Grand Highlander and immoderate of the others you listed beneath which person a 3rd row?” 1 of Kerzner’s advisers wrote. “I believe, for example, the Hyundai Palisade has a 3rd row.”

As they considered alternatives, Kerzner’s unit besides tried to activity retired what additions could beryllium made to immoderate caller vehicle.

“Do you person the specs for Minister Kerzner’s existent Grand Highlander?” 1 wrote.

“He mentioned to maine that his Grand Highlander has immoderate customizations and I’m funny really it compares to the Nissan Pathfinder that Holman found.”

BERITAJA asked Kerzner’s agency why the curate needed a three-row vehicle, but they did not reside the question.

Delays successful delivering parts for the stolen, damaged Toyota Grand Highlander saw the replacement process resistance connected done the summertime and into the fall.

As weeks turned into months, the requests from the solicitor general’s unit grew much urgent, referencing his desire to resoluteness the issue.

“The Minister is successful the agency tomorrow, truthful ideally searches are concluded today,” 1 email read.

A fewer days later, Kerzner intervened directly, asking for a Microsoft Teams telephone pinch the civilian servants successful complaint of fleet vehicles.

“Are you disposable astatine 3pm for a Teams call? Minister Kerzner had a fewer questions connected the conveyance disposable and options for his existent Highlander,” a staffer wrote. “Might beryllium easier for him to inquire you directly.”

An email sent the adjacent time suggested the telephone went up arsenic planned.

Sometime toward the extremity of October, aft a bid of delays successful parts and repairs, Kerzner’s Toyota Grand Highlander was rehabilitated.

Then, personification tried to bargain it again.

“I want to commencement disconnected by thanking you for each the thief pinch getting the Minister’s car fixed,” an email from 1 staffer to the government’s fleet services connected Oct. 31, 2024, began.

“I wanted to fto you cognize that the car was surgery into past nighttime successful an effort to bargain it. It being towed to the shop wherever it was conscionable fixed. (The driver) will beryllium getting a rental car successful the meantime.”

The estimated repair measure for the 2nd incident was $18,790.88, taking the full costs complete a matter of months to much than $39,000.

Days later, unit began to inquire again for alternatives to the rental conveyance Kerzner had been given.

“While we admit the further 30-days connected the loaner, having the loaner until November 6th would beryllium an untenable situation,” they wrote.