The cronyism scandal that has rocked Premier Doug Ford’s government and fuelled its tumble in a new public opinion poll has now claimed seven people, including his former chief of staff, Dean French, who was behind several of the controversial appointments.

While Ford has pledged that the Treasury Board under cabinet minister Peter Bethlenfalvy will now shepherd an internal review process, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is questioning why that process hasn’t yet produced any apparent results given her party and the media have uncovered several questionable hirings in recent weeks.

“Obviously whatever they’re doing is not weeding out the people who are getting inappropriate appointments,” Horwath told the Star in an interview Monday, as the newspaper reported a new poll by Corbett Communications that found 63 per cent of 936 voters surveyed believe the government has doled out appointments to too many friends.

“Maybe the review is make-believe,” added Horwath, whose party has repeatedly accused Ford of putting people with Conservative connections on the same political “gravy train” of which he has long accused others.

Ford’s office said in a statement Monday that it is concentrating its hiring and appointments on “individuals who we believe are qualified and support our open for business agenda.”

“The premier has directed his staff to review all pending appointments. Additionally, if the premier finds that people have been appointed for the wrong reason and are not performing to the highest standards these individuals will be removed from their positions,” the statement added.

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“At the request of the premier, Treasury Board officials are reviewing the appointment process to strengthen conflict of interest screening to further ensure the most qualified individuals are being selected.”

The latest casualty of cronyism controversy came on Friday after the New Democrats pointed to Workplace Safety Insurance Board appointee Ian Neita at a morning news conference. By the end of the day, he had resigned as a member of the board.

The first, perhaps, was longtime Ford friend Ron Taverner who was appointed commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police before Christmas and later withdrew his name from the posting following weeks of controversy.

But the issue of cronyism in hiring didn’t get wider traction until June 20, the day of a cabinet shuffle meant to “reset” a struggling government after a rocky first year and the announcement of four Ontario trade representatives to posts in London and the United States.

By the next evening, two of those appointments — to people with clear French connections — were rescinded by the premier as French himself was gone.

Here are snapshots of the people involved:

Ron Taverner: A veteran Toronto police superintendent in charge of divisions on Ford’s home turf of Etobicoke, the 72-year-old was named OPP commissioner in late November. This quickly raised concerns about the potential conflict of interest in having a premier’s friend in charge of the police force that would investigate the government in the event of any allegations of wrongdoing — as happened in the gas plants scandal involving the previous Liberal government.

Tyler Albrecht: One of four trade reps announced under cover of the cabinet shuffle, the 26-year-old turned out to be a lacrosse buddy of one of French’s sons. Aside from that association, critics questioned why Ford would appoint such a young man to the relatively senior position as the province’s agent-general in New York City at an annual salary of $164,910.

Taylor Shields: Her $185,000-a-year appointment as Ontario’s agent-general in London, England, was revoked at the same time as Albrecht’s, with a source telling the Star that Ford “knew nothing” about their links to French and “hit the roof” after their names were rubber-stamped by cabinet. Shields is a cousin of French’s wife.

Dean French: A veteran of Conservative backroom politics and co-chair of last June’s victorious PC election campaign, French has been a constant sidekick, confidant and adviser to Ford. He was named the premier’s right-hand man as chief of staff and was a key figure on the new government’s transition team.

Katherine Pal: This niece of French resigned from her provincial government appointment to the industry-funded Ontario Public Accountants Council on June 25, just four days after French’s departure. An insurance industry executive, she earned $700 for each of the council’s four annual meetings. The chair of the council, Gavin Tighe, a lawyer who acts for both French and Ford, defended Pal as “a remarkably qualified individual.”

Peter Fenwick: Ontario’s first “strategic transformation adviser” was hired last November and fired July 4 as the Toronto Star revealed his long-time ties to French. Fenwick acknowledged he has been a life-insurance customer of French for at least two decades. Cabinet secretary Steven Davidson said the dismissal followed a review of the role created last fall to help government departments become more efficient. The Star could not find any evidence the job, which paid a six-figure salary, was ever the subject of a public posting or competition.

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Andrew Suboch: A lawyer who resigned last Wednesday as head of a committee that helps appoint justices of the peace after a report emerged he also had ties to French. The premier’s office said Suboch’s September 2018 appointment to the Justices of the Peace Advisory Committee had been under review. The Globe and Mail previously reported Suboch’s and French’s sons played lacrosse together.

Ian Neita: Another insurance industry veteran, Neita was named to the Workplace Safety Insurance Board in December. He resigned Friday, hours after New Democrat MPP Marit Stiles (Davenport) told a news conference he helped coach a girls basketball team with French.

Correction — July 16, 2019: A previous version of this article misstated Andrew Suboch’s first name.

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