![Gravy sent to Doug Ford triggers police response over "suspicious substance"](https://dpdajlq3ew794.cloudfront.net/20240718100824/doug-ford-gravy.jpeg?format=auto&width=1920)
A 70-year-old GTA resident received a visit from the cops after participating in the trend of sending gravy to Ontario Premier Doug Ford, a symbolic political gesture that triggered a police response at Queen’s Park.
Retired paralegal L. Lynne Irwin took to X on Wednesday, describing how police came knocking after he shipped a pair of powdered gravy packets to the premier’s Queen’s Park office.
“This morning, I was awoken by two of Durham Region’s finest who were sent out by Toronto Police to enquire if I did, in fact, send a ‘suspicious substance’ to the Premier of Ontario,” the resident wrote.
Irwin admits to shipping the powdered gravy mix to Ford’s office in the post and claims to have told responding officers “that I had even called to tell them that I was sending them, and for them to expect a lot of gravy from angry citizens of this province.”
“I also told them that I had enclosed a letter explaining why I had sent the gravy and I did in fact put my return address on the outside of the envelope.”
According to the post, Irwin told police that the gravy was sent “because Ford lied to us. We just wanted to send him gravy for his Gravy Train,” a sarcastic reference to the Ford family’s 2010s-era pledge to cut spending at City Hall — something critics argue has been abandoned by the current Ontario PC administration.
This morning I was woken by 2 of Durham Regions’ finest who were sent out by @TorontoPolice to enquire if I did in fact send a “suspicious substance” to the Premier of Ontario.
They were referring to the 2 packets of gravy that I had sent to the Premier’s office. I told them… pic.twitter.com/UlRo6K7tUo
— L. Lynne Irwin (@LLynneIrwin) July 17, 2024
Police reportedly had questions about Irwin’s username on X, as well as other queries about the origins of the political meme.
The post explains, “They then asked me for names. Well, I didn’t give them any names. That is one thing that I do not do. I may send gravy mix to the Premier; but, I don’t name names. I am not a rat.”
Irwin’s post came with a warning to would-be copycats, advising that “if you sent gravy to the premier’s office, don’t be surprised if you get a visit.”
“I was told that our little Gravy Train rebellion tied up a lot of important police resources and they were not happy,” Irwin continued, adding, “I was thinking that they tied up resources again by sending not one, but two officers to my door.”
Many commenters were similarly confused by this use of police resources.
I told him in my nicely written letter that accompanied the gravy packets that he could use them at his next #FordFest.
— L. Lynne Irwin (@LLynneIrwin) July 17, 2024
Another commented that the police visit is akin to “criminalizing protest,” though Irwin disagreed with this take.
No. @DRPS said that I fine in protesting my political issues; however it would be prudent not to send anything that could be misconstrued as a “suspicious powder,” etc. through the mails.
— L. Lynne Irwin (@LLynneIrwin) July 17, 2024
He closed out the post, writing, “And who says that being 70 years old is dull?”
The trend took off earlier this year after Liberal MPP John Fraser brought a can of mushroom gravy to the Ontario legislature floor, triggering copycat mail-in gravy gifts that were also met with a response by police.