A veteran political operative who was former Toronto mayor Rob Ford’s chief of staff at the height of the crack cocaine controversy is the new executive director of Premier Kathleen Wynne’s Ontario Liberal Party.

Earl Provost, who moved to run former deputy mayor Norm Kelly’s office after city council stripped Ford of most of his powers due to the crack scandal, will take the reins of the day-to-day operations of the governing party.

“Earl is a strong, lifelong Liberal and veteran of countless campaigns,” Liberal president Siloni Waraich said in a news release issued late Thursday night.

“Our party will be well-placed to build on our success with the benefit of Earl’s considerable knowledge and experience, allowing us to continue to advance our agenda for progress,” said Waraich.

The Liberals’ press release pointedly did not mention Ford by name, but alluded to the once strained relations between Queen’s Park and city hall.

“He also has experience working with the premier’s office gained during his time serving as chief of staff for the former mayor of Toronto and, more particularly, as chief of staff to the former deputy mayor.”

Wynne and her staff, who refused to have anything to do with Ford after he was defrocked by council, met frequently with Provost after Kelly took the helm in November 2013.

Despite being a lifelong Liberal, Provost is also well-regarded by Progressive Conservatives, which is why he was granted entry to Ford’s inner political circle.

He won praise from across the political spectrum for helping Kelly return decorum to the council floor after the Ford scandal made Toronto the butt of jokes on U.S. comedy talk-show monologues.

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