Dean French, who resigned as Premier Doug Ford’s chief of staff Friday after a patronage scandal, has now also parted ways with the Progressive Conservative re-election campaign.French had embarrassed Ford by trying to install his wife’s cousin and his son’s friend in six-figure overseas government postings on Thursday.Eighteen hours later, the premier revoked the appointments and, on Friday night, the embattled chief of staff stepped down.The cronyism fiasco continues to roil the Tories, many of whom are distancing themselves from French.As first disclosed by the Star, French has now also left Ford’s 2022 re-election team.“Mr. French is no longer part of the election readiness committee. He has returned to the private sector,” Marcus Mattinson, the Ontario PC Party director of communications, said Monday.But some Tory staffers said they were stunned when French showed up at work again on Monday morning despite having resigned last week.“He’s in the building right now,” a startled PC insider told the Star at 10 a.m.French allegedly “read the Riot Act to all (premier’s office) staff and then in a separate meeting with chiefs,” said the source, speaking confidentially in order to discuss internal discussions.“The implied threat was, ‘Make no mistake, I still control things,’” the insider said.Three senior officials in the premier’s office strongly disputed that account and insisted French did not assert his authority because he no longer has any.They said he briefly attended two meetings to bid farewell to former colleagues and was greeted warmly.“Dean French came to Queen’s Park this morning to pack up his office. He said goodbye to staff, thanked them for their hard work and continued service to the premier and the people of Ontario,” the premier’s office said in a statement Monday. “Dean French is returning to the private sector.&# ...
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