Tale of two private jets

This is a tale of two private jets, bought for two chief ministers, on two different continents, in two different worlds.

While a debate rages in Pakistan about the purchase and use of a private jet by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the Premier (chief minister) of Ontario, the largest province of Canada with a GDP of roughly C$900.8 billion (US $643.54bn) in 2017 terms, also had to face a similar outcry when the provincial government announced on April 17 this year, the purchase of a Canada made, ten years old, 2016 model, pre-owned Bombardier Challenger 650 jet for Premier Doug Ford’s “extensive travel(s)”. The jet, bought for C$28.9 million, was to facilitate the Premier’s travel within Ontario and the United States, the announcement said.

Announcing the purchase, a spokesperson for the Ontario government then said that the plane would be used solely to conduct “government business”, and not for any personal trip.

Premier Ford argued then that the province needed the plane because Ontario is vast, and he needed something more secure to travel to the United States to push back against President Donald Trump’s trade war.

Compared to what happened in Pakistan, when the premier of Canada’s Ontario faced backlash over the purchase of a plane, he reversed his decision

While defending the purchase, Mr Ford’s office also cited that the plane was necessary for “more certain, flexible, secure and confidential travel,” citing the premier’s trips across the province as well as to meetings with fellow premiers and the prime minister.

The purchase resulted in an uproar. Critics quickly derided it as the “gravy plane” — a play on Ford’s boasts in the past that he was elected to “stop the gravy train” of government spending.

All guns targeted Premier Doug Ford for the purchase. Ontario Opposition Leader Marit Stiles, of the New Democratic Party (NDP), called the jet a “gravy plane” in a social media post, adding that Ford should be “flying economy like the rest of us.”

Premier Doug Ford faced an outcry when the provincial government announced the purchase of a Canada-made, ten-year-old, pre-owned jet for C$28.9 million

“I think it’s outrageous that the premier would be considering spending 30 million [Canadian] dollars on a luxury private plane at a time like this — when Ontarians are struggling with the price of rent, the price of food,” Stiles said at an unrelated news conference then.

The NDP, in its statement, also cited a 2019 Toronto Star story, in which Ford had said that he was “the only premier in history” who would prefer to drive around the province than spend taxpayer dollars flying.

Interim Ontario Liberal Leader John Fraser strongly condemned the Ford government’s purchase of the pre-owned Bombardier Challenger 650 private jet, calling it completely “out of touch”.

Groups outside of the opposition benches were also quick to denounce the provincial government’s purchase. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) demanded in a statement that Ford reverse plans to spend taxpayer dollars on a private jet. “Instead of taking commercial flights like many premiers in this country do, Ford would rather cosplay the life of the rich and famous on taxpayers’ dime,” said Noah Jarvis, CTF Ontario director.

“Ordinary taxpayers are struggling to make ends meet, and (Ontario premier) Ford is making them pay for a personal jet so that he doesn’t have to wait in line at the airport like everyone else.”

And with public pressure piling on the purchases, both in Pakistan and in Canada, the outcomes of the two were starkly opposite to each other.

Here in Toronto, the outcry forced Premier Ford to change his decision. He had to take a U-turn.

Within a few days of the announcement of the jet purchase, Mr Ford gave in, conceding that he had heard the public’s concerns. “Despite the best of intentions, I have heard and agree that now is not the right time for the expense of a government plane. The province is working with Bombardier and other partners to sell the plane as quickly as possible,” he said.

Speaking at an unrelated announcement in Ottawa, he then added, “I’m the premier that listens to the people, and if they don’t like something, I’m not too shy to change my mind”.

Within days, the plane was sold back to Bombardier at the purchase price of C$28.9 million. But Premier Ford is not out of the woods. The purchase, and the expenses involved in the process, cost the provincial exchequer an additional amount of around C$200,000. He will have to answer that too.

Premier Doug Ford is known as a go-getter. He has won three consecutive elections in the province for the provincial Conservatives. Yet, pundits now believe his party may have to pay a political price for the decision to buy a private jet for the premier of Canada’s largest province, which boasts the highest GDP among the provinces of the country.

Real democracy is at work — at least here in Canada.

The writer is a Canadian-based analyst.

X: @rhusainsyed

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, September 28th, 2026