SCOOP: Ford's secret fundraiser

Plus: Miller mystery solved (sort of), staff exits, big battery deal for Windsor, another tuition freeze

ABOVE THE FOLD

First in Queen’s Park Observer — FUNDRAISING WATCH — Premier DOUG FORD is shilling for PC cash this evening in Etobicoke, the heart of Ford Nation, at a familiar haunt: MGA International, the company co-founded by city councillor and Ford ally MARK GRIMES.

As is typical, Ford’s name was left off the party’s public listing — but a source tells me tonight’s fundraiser goes down at 279 Norseman Street, the same spot as Grimes’s family firm. Tory supporters who cough up $1,500 will get the chance to rub elbows with the Premier at 6 p.m. Invite.

Context: Grimes and Ford are close. The Etobicoke—Lakeshore councillor was also endorsed by his MPP counterpart, PCer CHRISTINE HOGARTH.

MILLER MYSTERY — The cat’s out of the bag. After raising more questions than answers by stonewalling details on the reasoning behind longtime MPP PAUL MILLER’s ouster — the NDP shed some light on the matter.

Miller was booted from caucus because he was found to be a member of an Islamophobic Faceboo…