Premier Doug Ford's then chief of staff, Dean French (right), looks on while Ford speaks to the Progressive Conservative caucus on June 19, 2018. French resigned on June 21, 2019. Source: Twitter/@fordnation

TORONTO—Premier Doug Ford’s ex-chief of staff Dean French ensured a lacrosse player he coached got a job with the Progressive Conservative government, according to information obtained by iPolitics.

Thomas Staples joined then-government whip Bill Walker’s office last year and now serves as the executive assistant and legislative affairs advisor for the minister of government and consumer services.

Walker was the minister in that portfolio until he was shuffled last week. The job is now held by Lisa Thompson.

Staples was coached by French when he played on the St. Michael’s College Varsity Lacrosse team, alongside French’s son Joe in 2011. The two students also played together in 2012, according to online yearbooks.

According to a senior conservative source, French pressed the Progressive Conservative caucus office to hire Staples even though he was “completely unqualified.”

All sources were granted anonymity in this story to discuss sensitive issues.

READ MORE: Premier Doug Ford’s embattled chief of staff, Dean French, resigns

French’s personal connections to government appointees sparked a controversy last week, overshadowing the premier’s major cabinet shuffle aimed at restoring his government’s lagging popularity.

On Friday, French resigned as Ford’s chief of staff, though a statement from the premier’s office insisted he had always intended to return to the private sector after a year of service in government.

In the Staples case, French is accused of ensuring someone he knew personally was hired into a political position in government.

French did not reply to a request for comment on this story. Staples was reached by iPolitics, but said he would not comment.

Staples’ resume, obtained by iPolitics, shows he had no experience working in politics. The senior source said Staples also had not completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Western Ontario when he was hired to work in Walker’s office.

Staples declined to comment on the status of his degree Wednesday.

The source said French and Staples were very friendly when they crossed paths and the former chief of staff called him “Stapes.”

READ MORE: Ford reviewing some appointments as new cronyism allegation emerges

In an emailed statement, the premier’s office said “every staff member in the government is hired based on merit.”

“If they do not perform to the standards expected they are removed from their positions,” Ford Spokesperson Kayla Iafelice said, adding that the premier’s office would not comment any further on “internal staffing matters.”

A separate conservative source described Staples as a “hard worker” who “earned his place” in Walker’s office.

Last week, two instances of appointments with direct personal connections to French were reported, setting off a firestorm and upsetting many conservatives. French previously knew one of the appointees through his work in lacrosse; the other appointee is a relative of his wife’s.

Both of those appointments were revoked.

On Tuesday, two more appointments with direct connections to French were also reported. Katherine Pal resigned from the province’s Public Accounts Council after it was revealed that French is her uncle and the Globe and Mail reported that Andrew Suboch, chair of the Justices of the Peace Appointment Advisory Committee, is also connected to French through lacrosse.

“Everyone thinks it’s pure chaos,” said one senior Conservative source.

Ford has not spoken to reporters since the story broke last week. An interview request on Wednesday was rejected by the government, citing the premier’s schedule.

The onetime Toronto city councillor rode to the premier’s office campaigning to bring more “respect for taxpayers” and putting “the people ahead of insiders.”

Ford has called for a review of all pending appointments and Iafelice said if the government finds someone has been appointed for the “wrong reason” and is “not performing to the highest standards,” they will be removed.

The NDP and Liberals have each called for independent reviews of the appointments.

Follow @MariekeWalsh