Watch: Politician Swallows Bee While Speaking to Reporters

Canadians may modify the proverb “A shut mouth catches no flies” after a politician swallowed a bee during a press briefing.

Reporters were buzzing about the bee who flew into Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s mouth and got swallowed by the panicked politician. Ford was answering reporters in Dundalk, Ontario, about provincewide health-care staff shortages and the possibility of privatization, according to a CBC report.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation further reported:

“‘Holy Christ, I just swallowed a bee,’ he said, coughing violently.”

Watch:

Members of the audience could be heard expressing their concern for Ford.

After taking a sip of water from a bottle, Ford made light of the situation, saying: “This is going to be played over and over again.”

But the discomfort the premier was experiencing was visible.

“Sorry guys. The little bugger got away in there,” he said.

Someone from the audience asked if he was all right to continue, to which Ford responded: “I’m OK. It’s buzzing in there.”

“Man, he went right down the hatch,” he said, laughing.

Ford told reporters he’s a strong believer in public health care, but his government is going to “get creative” when looking at how it could be delivered.

Ford said Friday that “everything is on the table” when asked if Ontario is considering further privatization of the health-care system.

“I’m not gonna do anything without consulting with the experts out there,” he said. “There’s one thing we’ll guarantee: you’ll always be covered by OHIP, not the credit card.”

When asked if patients would have to pay anything if they had surgery at a private clinic, Ford said it would be “100 per cent” covered.

As for the bee, who stole the spotlight Friday, Ford said: “This is a good one … I can’t remember what we were talking about. I’ll be rushing to the hospital to get this bee out of here.”

It was not immediately clear if the premier indeed went to a hospital.

Later, he said the bee “is working hard building a hive down there.”

“That sucker is still buzzing away,” he said as the news conference ended.