PCs retreat to Niagara with caucus cracks

And a Scarborough scramble

Brought to you by Toronto Pearson

NIAGARA FALLS OUT

It’s out of the frying pan and into the fire for Premier DOUG FORD, who’s trading the heat of Question Period for the headaches in his own house.

After adjourning the Legislature early for a 21-week break, Ford and his PC crew are headed to Niagara for a caucus retreat on Friday — and while he’s downplaying tension over pensions and the jet, the blowup with sacked caucus chair WILL BOUMA makes for a rather awkward backdrop.

Ford insists he’s still got a “tight group” and has said that caucus is like a family: there are disagreements behind closed doors, but everyone toes the party line in public — even if some of his MPPs are feeling silenced.

Salt in the wounds: Ford has lost a heavyweight contender in GARY CRAWFORD, who I’ve confirmed is bowing out of the ever-dramatic Scarborough Southwest byelection.

The riding was always going to be a challenge for the ruling PCs, who have failed to win the seat for more than two decades, but Craw…