In the wake of discouraging polls and unhappy with the rollout of the provincial budget, Premier Doug Ford is poised to shuffle his cabinet.The premier is expected to shake up his executive council after seven public-opinion surveys in the past month have highlighted problems for the Progressive Conservative government due to program cuts in the budget.One senior Tory insider, speaking confidentially in order to discuss internal deliberations, said Ford is eager to “reset” his administration, which was sworn in last June 29 after toppling Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals.“Doug knows it’s time to make some changes,” the official said.Conservative sources told the Star that Ford is also deeply concerned about tensions in his office after tearful and impassioned complaints last week from Tory MPPs about his powerful chief of staff Dean French.“MPPs should be treated with respect,” the premier told his caucus in an emotional closed-door meeting Friday at an airport hotel, according to several people in attendance.While several aides were present in the room, French was not.It came after a Greater Toronto Area MPP and a Toronto member personally appealed to Ford to rein in his chief of staff.Sources says the rookie suburban MPP broke down in tears after being scolded by French outside the airport hotel on Thursday in front of the premier, other MPPs, and staffers.The chief of staff admonished her for complaining directly to Ford about the government’s communications strategy instead of broaching it through proper channels.“She couldn’t stop crying,” said a PC source, speaking on condition of anonymity.After French went back inside the hotel — and as the suburban member continued to weep — the Toronto MPP explained to Ford that Tories feel like they are living in the former Soviet Union with secret police monitoring their every move.“There’s a culture of fear — it’s li ...
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