Staff shakeup: Ford poaches a Finance heavyweight

And Stiles's Christmas gift for the Premier

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ABOVE THE FOLD

First in Observer — STAFF SWITCHEROO SEASON — Big personnel shifts are underway inside the provincial halls of power.

A little birdie tells me Premier DOUG FORD is poaching a key comms hand from Finance Minister PETER BETHLENFALVY. That would be COLIN BLACHAR, most recently Bethlenfalvy’s director of communications issues and legislative affairs, who is moving over to the PO.

Blachar has been a trusted operator during budget season — steering everything from media lockup to the Minister’s wall-to-wall TV and radio gauntlet. Blachar’s also earned his chops on the party side, running tour for the PCs during February’s election campaign.

While not totally confirmed, he’s expected to work closely with JASON VANDENBEUKEL, Ford’s deputy chief of Strat-Comms — and leaves big shoes to fill on the Finance team at a critical time, especially now that spring budget prep has already kicked off, including the Minister’s pre-budget consultation tou…