Premier Doug Ford has quietly apologized to Liberal MPP Stephanie Smyth after he hurled a personal insult towards her during a debate last week in the provincial legislature.It was during Thursday’s question period about the government’s omnibus budget bill, which includes a law shielding records of the premier, cabinet ministers and their staff from freedom-of-information laws when Smyth asked Ford why a premier who claims to be highly accountable is making it hard to hold him to account.Ford shot back that the only reason Smyth is in the legislature is because “CP24 didn’t want her anymore,” referencing her past work as a broadcast journalist before entering politics.“She was just a promoter for Liberal agenda, NDP agenda when she was doing interviews. You think there could be anything else? That is the facts. That is the truth. It hurts, doesn’t it? It hurts when you aren’t wanted.”While speaker Donna Skelly warned two opposition members who were shouting back at Ford and cautioned all members on their language and personal attacks, she did not ask Ford to withdraw his comment.Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser gave Ford another chance to apologize at the conclusion of question period, rising to say the premier knows the right thing to do.Ford heckled back: “If you’re willing to dish it out, you better be ready to take it.”On Sunday, Smyth took to social media to say Ford had reached out to apologize for the personal comments he made, adding she accepted his apology.“What happens in that chamber reflects on all of us,” she wrote. “When we walk through those doors we owe it to our constituents, and to each other, to bring our best.“I hope this becomes a moment for all of us to recommit to that standard.”NEW – Liberal MPP Stephanie Smyth says Premier Ford has apologized to her for comments he made in the legislature Thursday. https://t.co/lkWJ9zQhzD— Richard Southern (@RichardCityNews) April 26, 2026Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report