Canada: Ontario Liberal Party to release Ford's recording

Ford had also reportedly been accused by a former top Conservative official and a party member present at the 2016 vote of purchasing members, which is contrary to party rules, to help him win the PC nomination in the riding where he lived.

If proved true, the charges would call into question the PC leader’s conviction that he had been busy cleaning the mess left from the party’s previous administration.

Ford had also been accused using stolen 407 data.

Ford repeatedly condemned the problems during the PC leadership race as well as on the campaign trail.

Reportedly Ford's nomination process had become a problematic issue in campaign leading up to Ontario’s Jun 7 election.

A spokeswoman for the Ford campaign said Wednesday the allegations were old and had been proved unsubstantial by the party’s reviewing appeals committee.

But Etobicoke resident Annie Eastwood had admitted that Doug Ford had come to her house, signed her up and then paid her.

“It is a swipe against democracy when you can just come in and buy memberships and then put people in, give people a (PIN number) and tell them, ‘This is who you’re voting for,’" said Eastwood and added.

“I heard from six old ladies, and I said … ‘How come you’re here?’ And they said, ‘Doug came to my house and he fixed me up with my membership,’” recalled  Eastwood. “Others were saying, ‘Yeah, he bought my membership.’ … They all said, ‘Doug Ford brought us here, and he told us who to vote for.’”

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)