Premier Doug Ford’s sudden about-face on the taxpayer-funded jet and the admission that multiple inmates are still at large after being mistakenly released is beginning to spark some pointed frustration from within his own ranks.

One Progressive Conservative caucus member, who spoke to QP Briefing on the condition of anonymity to air their concerns candidly, warned the controversies risk cutting directly against the party’s carefully cultivated populist image, built on fiscal restraint and a tough-on-crime message.

The “turbulence” began when the province confirmed it had purchased a $28.9-million Bombardier Challenger 650 for government travel, citing the premier’s extensive trips across Ontario, Canada and the United States. Within days, and after mounting backlash, Ford announced the plane would be sold, acknowledging concerns about affordability.

“I have heard and agree that now is not the right time,” Ford said.

But behind the scenes, some Progressive Conservatives say the damage may already be done.

Some insiders described the situation as a “communications disaster” that risks cementing a perception of arrogance, a striking departure from the brand that helped Ford win three majority governments.

“This is exactly the kind of thing we used to hammer other governments for,” a PC caucus member said, adding that while the premier remains firmly in control, the episode has left some in caucus uneasy about how quickly the narrative has shifted.

For years, that brand hinged on accessibility and relatability: a premier who handed out his cellphone number, took calls from constituents and, as allies often noted, chose to sit at the back of commercial flights.

“Ending the gravy train was what Doug Ford ran on,” one Progressive Conservative source said on background. “So this is precisely the kind of thing that will sting.”

Some days before, Ford also revealed that six inmates remain at large in Ontario, part of a broader pattern that has seen more than 150 people improperly released from provincial jails in recent years.

“There’s still six prisoners at large and they’re going to be captured,” Ford said, calling the situation “totally unacceptable.”

While the premier defended Solicitor General Michael Kerzner as doing a “great job,” the episode has raised concerns both inside and outside the party about competence and accountability.

The issue stems from a series of administrative errors that led to more than 150 inmates being mistakenly released from Ontario jails over the past several years, with some not immediately returned to custody.

For days, Kerzner told legislators that individuals released in error were promptly re-apprehended, a claim that was later proved incorrect.

It only became clear after Premier Doug Ford revealed in a media scrum that six inmates were still at large. Kerzner subsequently issued an “unreserved” apology in the legislature, acknowledging he had provided inaccurate information and pledging to “get to the bottom” of how the releases occurred and why some individuals remained missing.

For some Progressive Conservatives, the overlap of the two controversies has created what one insider described as a “compounding effect.”

“It’s a toxic combination,” said one longtime conservative strategist, granted anonymity to speak candidly. “You can survive one misstep. But when it starts to look like a pattern that directly speaks against your personal brand, like entitlement, secrecy, losing inmates… that’s when voters start to reassess who you are.”

“It’s not just one mistake,” the source said. “It’s the sense that things aren’t as tight as they used to be, whether that’s on communications or on operations.”

Opposition figures have seized on the issue, accusing the government of withholding information and mishandling a serious public safety lapse. Ontario Liberal interim leader John Fraser said he only learned how many inmates were still at large when Premier Doug Ford disclosed it to reporters, despite days of questioning in the legislature.

“I’ve been asking the solicitor general days and days questions to get a specific answer: how many prisoners have been released since September 2025 and how many are out right now,” Fraser said. “And I get an answer in the hallway when the premier’s in a scrum and he says there’s six… the premier knows these criminals got out, the premier knows what’s happening and they’re doing nothing about it.”

Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles said the issue is a direct contradiction of the government’s law-and-order positioning, and that both the releases themselves and the response from Queen’s Park are concerning.

“We’ve got inmates on the loose in the province and not only that but we’ve got a solicitor general who lied to the people of Ontario and refuses to take any responsibility,” she said.

Fraser went further, calling for consequences at the ministerial level. “It’s not a blip, he shouldn’t have his job,” he said. “I’ve been saying that for three days now. I don’t understand why he still has a job.”

Publicly, cabinet ministers have struck a more measured tone. Government House Leader Steve Clark acknowledged constituents were “rightly” upset about the timing of the jet purchase amid affordability concerns, and said that governments “aren’t perfect.”

Still, comparisons are already being drawn internally to past Progressive Conservative missteps, like when then Premier Bill Davis bought a Challenger jet in 1981. The $10.6-million jet was purchased amid high unemployment and economic downturn, also causing a major political controversy.

Polling suggests the backlash may already be measurable.

An Abacus Data survey conducted after the jet decision and the transparency changes found Progressive Conservative support slipping to 39 per cent, down five points in a month and the party’s lowest level in nearly two years. More strikingly, more than half of past PC voters surveyed said the plane purchase made them less likely to support the party again, while a majority of Ontarians opposed the decision outright.

The same poll found 51 per cent of respondents believe it’s time for a change in government, a figure one insider described as “not yet panic territory, but moving in the wrong direction.”

Ford’s personal numbers are also under pressure, with a net negative favourability rating.

Not all Progressive Conservatives believe the situation is irreparable.

“I think, honestly, that part of his brand is recognizing mistakes and owning them,” another Tory source said. “He screws up, he owns it, and people forgive him. That’s still there.”

“There’s a window to fix this,” a PC caucus member said, adding that the next elections are still far away. “But it means getting back to basics, remembering why people trusted us in the first place, and delivering these basic things we promised, especially on public safety.”

Ford himself has defended the original rationale for the plane, arguing it was never intended as a personal perk and could have been used for cabinet travel and emergency response. He has also said that after explaining that context, some Ontarians told him they supported the idea.