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Election Exactly One Week From Today

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Another labour endorsement for PC leader Doug Ford.

A local union of the United Association of Refrigeration Workers in Brampton announced its support during a visit by Ford to their training facility.

Photo courtesy Ontario PC Party/Facebook

“These folks are supporting us because they know that we’re going to make sure that they have jobs for the future. Many jobs for the future. We’re putting money into the trades or putting 10’s of millions of dollars into the training facilities,” says Ford.

Ford says they are also working to get more people into those trades.

Photo courtesy Ontario NDP/Facebook

NDP leader Andrea Horwath is proposing to improve mental health services for post-secondary students.

It’s part of her universal mental health care in the province.

Horwath says there has been a lot of pressure on students.

“The consistency of not only classes and courses, but supports that you need in school to succeed during this disruptive time have been really, really difficult to get. I’m happy to say that our plan would fix that,” says Horwath.

The plan includes increased funding for mental health professionals and programs on campus.

Liberal leader Steven Del Duca accuses Doug Ford of failing to support small business owners.

Del Duca says the PC leader showed that during the pandemic with his bias toward big box stores and large grocery chains.

“And why? Because he’s lost his way. Because he’s only interested in himself, his political fortunes, his reelection chances instead of caring about the people,” says Del Duca.

Del Duca says under a Liberal government, corporate taxes on small businesses would be waived for two years to help them recover.

Green Party leader Mike Schreiner is paying extra attention to the riding of Parry Sound-Muskoka area.

Schreiner feels the Greens have a good shot at winning there.

“Matt Richter, in the 2018 election, finished actually slightly better than I did in the 2014 election in Guelph. We know what happened in Guelph in 2018, and we believe we are well-positioned for that to happen in Parry Sound-Muskoka in 2022,” says Schreiner.

Parry Sound-Muskoka is one of two ridings where the Liberal Party is not running a candidate.

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Leaders Head into the Final Week of Campaign

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PC leader Doug Ford says he’s campaigning like he’s in last place.

The latest polls show Ford with a sizeable lead over the Liberals and NDP.

Ford is not putting solace in those polls.

“I always say the only poll that counts is on Election Day. We always run like we’re in last place. I tell our team run like we’re in last place. Don’t stop door knocking all the way up to June 2,” says Ford.

Ford does make one Election Day prediction.

He believes Liberal leader Steven Del Duca will lose out on his bid to win a seat at Queen’s Park.

Del Duca is quick to disagree.

He says his party is emerging as the only clear alternative to Ford.

He also accuses the PC leader of wanting to privatize public services if given a second mandate.

“He wants to destroy the core public services that are the foundation of everything we stand on in this province. He wants to privatize, so he doesn’t want to come out of the bubble. He doesn’t want to have to admit that he is determined to take a wrecking ball to everything Ontarians hold dear. We’re not going to let him,” says Del Duca.

Del Duca says the biggest fraud during the 2018 election was Ford claiming he was ‘for the people.’

NDP leader Andrea Horwath continues to sell her party as the only one that will fix the things that are broken in Ontario.

Horwath focused on long-term care and the pandemic on Tuesday.

“And now is our chance. Now is our chance to finally fix what’s been going wrong in long-term care. And we are the only, I’m the only premier that will actually do that,” says Horwath.

One of her promises is to reinstate family members’ right to take private long-term care operators to court over the deaths of their loved ones during the pandemic.

Ford removed that right in legislation passed during the pandemic.

Ontario Green Party leader Mike Schreiner is saying, ‘Yes, in my backyard.’

He promises to extend zoning regulations to allow for multi-plex housing units in all residential areas and permit affordable housing projects on former industrial sites.

“We urgently need to take a ‘yes in my backyard’ approach to housing where we creatively make use of existing space and built-up areas to increase the supply of homes,” says Schreiner.

Schreiner also proposes an initiative to address NIMBYism and raise awareness of the importance of middle, mid-rise and community housing developments.

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Labour Movement Split on Leader Support

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NDP leader Andrea Horwath is committed to making her proposal to implement a universal pharmacare program a priority.

Horwath says it will be one of the first things she does if her party forms the next provincial government.

“This plan is something that we will implement immediately upon forming government in a couple of weeks time and provide not only that relief, but that security that you can get the prescriptions that you need,” says Horwath.

Howarth says her plan will save families an average of $350 each year.

Election polls put the NDP in third place, behind the PCs and Liberals.

Leader Andrea Horwath brushes off the notion that achieves her goal of forming the government, a coalition with the other parties is needed.

“I’m running for premier, and I’m running to have a majority government because people need to have hope that the things that matter most to them can actually be fixed, and that’s what this campaign is all about.”

Horwath continues to campaign on that the fact that her party is in the best position to unseat Doug Ford.”

Liberal leader Steven Del Duca is proposing a top-up of employment insurance benefits for workers taking parental leave.

The federal government allows for an eighteen-month leave, but benefits received are lower when spread over that period.

Del Duca says his plan would add to those benefits.

“This kind of plan, topping up and fully funding an 18-month parental leave program, could put up to $255 back in the pockets of Ontario families each and every single week,” says Del Duca.

Del Duca says he would also work with the feds to help the self-employed, contract and gig workers receive benefits they currently don’t qualify.

Del Duca was also dogged by reporters’ questions about the qualification and qualities of certain candidates the NDP has raised.

The Liberal leader says he’s not playing the political games being played by other party leaders, calling them desperation tactics.

“I’m disappointed to hear that Ms. Horvath and her team want to continue to focus on attacking me and Ontario Liberals instead of trying to take the fight to Doug Ford. Ontario Liberals will remain exclusively focused on making sure that Doug Ford’s first term in office is his last.”

Del Duca’s also sidestepped questions about his political future if he doesn’t form government.

PC leader Doug Ford campaigned in Hamilton to recognize two more trade union endorsements.

“I’m so grateful for the support of these unions and workers across Ontario, and I want our workers to know that I’ll always have your back,” says Ford

He’s received endorsements from five unions in the past week.

Ford says trade unions have given up on the NDP and leader Andrea Horwath, he continues to call anti-building everything.

“She’s anti-building anything, anti-building housing, anti-building highways, anti-building roads. Horvath would rather sit there on a picket line with their signs protesting a build than actually getting it done.”

Horwarth says she’s not concerned with the trade union endorsement of the PC leader Doug Ford.

She doesn’t see Ford being a friend of working people.

“We know whose side Doug Ford is on. We know his cuts hurt people, and we know he is not a friend of working people, hasn’t been, won’t be, pretending to be now, maybe, but that’s not who Doug Ford is,” says Horwath.

Horwarth points to endorsements from the Ontario Federation of Labour and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union that show labour still supports the NDP.

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation is throwing its support being Mike Schreiner and the Green Party in the provincial election.

It’s the first time the union has endorsed the Greens.

President Karen Littlewood says Schreiner’s education platform reflects much of what they want to be addressed.

“Mike consulted with us over the education platform, and he’s really encapsulated well. It is about improving the lives of Ontarians. This is not just education, this is communities. This is public services,” says Littlewood.

Littlewood says with 60-thousand plus members, the weight of the endorsement can have a difference at the polls on June 2.

“I’ve worked hard prior to being elected and since being elected to earn your trust, to build a working relationship with you so that we can stand up and fight for better public education,” says Schreiner in recognizing the endorsement.

 

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Labour Headlines Leaders’ Travels

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PC leader Doug Ford is getting some unexpected support from labour.

Four trade unions have come out in support of the Progressive Conservatives in recent days.

In acknowledging the support, Ford was asked about public sector workers and the wage restrictions they are currently under.

“When that lapses, I think the first ones in August, we’re going to sit down, and we’re going to treat them fairly. With the nurses, we gave them a 7.6% on the average increase in the $5000 bonus. I think the world of them. The PSWs, I’ve always said they’re underpaid, overworked,” says Ford.

Ford says he would also address the issue of paid sick days once the worse of the pandemic is behind us.

Photo courtesy Ontario Liberal Party/Facebook

Liberal leader Steven Del Duca wants to explore a four-day workweek if he forms the next provincial government.

Del Duca says he’s set up a demonstration project.

“To see how a four-day workweek might, in fact, do for workers and their families what they crave, what they want, which is the ability to, once again, have some kind of reasonable work-life balance,” says Del Duca.

Del Duca says he would also reinstate the Basic Income Pilot Project that Ford cancelled immediately after the 2018 election.

Supplied by Green Party of Ontario

Green Party leader Mike Schreiner is trying to build momentum for his party coming out of Monday’s leader’s debate.
Schreiner appealed to young voters during a campaign stop in Toronto.

“I want you to know that in the Ontario Green Party, you have a party that has your back. It is all about empowering youth to have a stronger political voice in this province,” says Schreiner.

Schreiner wants to lower the voting age to 16.

Photo courtesy Ontario NDP Party/Facebook

More school support staff if the NDP forms the next provincial government.

The NDP says it will earmark $4.8 billion over the next three years on school maintenance.

Leader Andrea Horwath says $467 million is directed toward staffing.

“We are going to hire an extra custodian for every single school. We are going to bring more maintenance people online in the schools to ensure that we keep up with the repairs,” says Horwath.

Horwath blames the Liberals and PCs for creating a $16.8 billion backlog in repairs to schools.

She also dismissed questions about her political future, saying she will never give up on fighting for people.

Recent polls have her party trailing the PCs and Liberals.

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Ontario Leaders Debate: Round Two

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Ontario Leaders Debate May 16, 2022 (CPAC)

Less than 20 days until election day as the four major party leaders sparred for a second time.

Doug Ford of the PC’s, Steven Del Duca of the Liberals, Mike Schreiner of the Green Party and Andrea Horwath of the NDP all faced the same four topics in Toronto, with one question asking if they have any political regrets.

Schreiner said Monday night that his mistake was not running in the riding of Guelph in the 2014 Ontario election.

Ford regretted not running before June of 2018 when he was first elected as the member of provincial parliament for the riding of Etobicoke North.

Del Duca pointed to the Liberal Party result in the election four years ago when they won just seven seats.

Horwath did not give a specific example of a regret, noting they are opportunities to learn and to do better next time.

During the debate, Ford told the audience the PC Party is the only one that will cut through excuses. He added a vote for any of the other three parties will mean the return of licence plate fees as well as an increase to the gas tax and other taxes.

Horwath spent her opening statement talking about bringing back care to long term care, and keeping the profits out of it.

Del Duca delivered the message that the Ford PC’s have walked away from their responsibility to lead Ontario and left voters to fend for themselves.

Schreiner stressed it is now or never to address the climate crisis, urging Ontarians to help stop Doug Ford from paving over the future of the province.

During discussions about healthcare, Ford stressed that if a bad decision was made by his government during the COVID-19 pandemic, he apologized and tried to make things better.

Del Duca pointed to a decision by the government in April of 2021 that led to area playgrounds closing and allowing police to make random stops for not following the stay-at-home order.

“For two and a half years, literally 24/7, I was working on this pandemic,” Ford fired back. “It’s easy to sit back from the sidelines when you didn’t have to make the tough decisions that I had to make and criticize. You have the easiest job in the world.”

Ford responded with, “I’m glad that we agree on the skilled trades, even though the trade unions don’t support Ms. Horwath because they don’t believe in her. They also don’t support the Liberals.”

Doug Ford’s attendance record at Question Period was also highlighted by Steven Del Duca.

“More than 82 per cent of the time set aside for him to respond to the opposition parties, he has been absent,” noted Del Duca. “If you don’t show up to work 82 per cent of the time, I suspect that you don’t promoted and chances are you wouldn’t keep your job.”

Ford responded by pointing to the previous Liberal government who sold Hydro One in 2018.

This 90 minute debate was held a week after the gathering in North Bay.

Election Day is Thursday, June 2nd.

Advance polls will open on Thursday, May 19th.

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Liberals/Greens Release Separate Northern Ontario Platforms

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Two more of the provincial party leaders have unveiled their campaign platforms specific to northern Ontario.

Liberal leader Steven Del Duca’s promises include the creation of a Ministry of Immigration to help bring newcomers to the north to work and live.

“We will work with the federal government, seeking a mandate from the people of this province to make sure that Ontario is in the driver’s seat when it comes to our own immigration system.,” says Del Duca.

Del Duca says he will also create an advisory plan to ensure the new Ministry is established in the best interest of the north.

Other promises for northern Ontario include;

  • Ensuring everyone can access a family doctor or nurse practitioner within 24 hours, regardless of their postal code;
  • Covering tuition costs for medical and nursing students who commit to working in a rural or remote community;
  • Getting affordable, high-speed internet to everyone in Northern Ontario by 2025;
  • Constructing new roads to open up access to the Ring of Fire;
  • Supporting and empowering Northern municipalities by rebating 5% of the provincial mining tax;
  • Making Community Transportation Grants permanent and slashing municipal and Ontario Northland fares to a “buck-a-ride;”
  • Promoting economic development and regional tourism by boosting funding for the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund to $150 million;
  • Building or repairing Northern community infrastructure, like libraries and arenas;
  • Advancing the proven “2+1” highway model to support safe passing on major Northern Ontario highways;
  • Ensuring the highest possible level of winter maintenance on Highways 11 and 17;
  • Promoting safer winter driving by introducing a refundable tax credit of $75 per winter tire and $100 per studded tire in Northern Ontario; and
  • Reversing Ford Conservative cuts and delays to critical Northern services and projects, and ensuring the following projects move ahead:
    • The four-laning of Highway 69 and Highway 11/7 between Thunder Bay and Nipigon by 2025;
    • The widening of Highway 17 from Kenora to the Manitoba border;
    • The reconstruction of Highway 101 in Timmins;
    • The Cochrane bypass from Highway 11 to Highway 652.

Green Party leader Mike Schreiner also unveiled his plans for northern Ontario on Tuesday.

Photo supplied by Green Party of Ontario

“Ontario’s Greens have your back. We have a vision for the north to be prosperous, to be a leader in the new climate economy, to create the new career and job opportunities people in the north need to succeed,” says Schreiner.

The Green’s plan focus on seven key areas

1) Create good green jobs in the North

  • Increase sustainable, circular and Indigenous-led access to critical minerals and metals while fully adhering to principles of UNDRIP
  • Maximize job and economic benefits for Northern communities by removing barriers to mass timber building

2) Expand access to quality healthcare in Northern communities

  • Make dedicated investments in Nurse Practitioner-led clinics in the North where improved access to primary care is critical

3) Invest in a mental health and addictions strategy

  • Build at least 4,000 supportive homes and 6,000 affordable community rental homes for Northern communities
  • Implement the Ontario Greens’ Addiction Strategy to address the drug poisoning crisis that has disproportionately affected Northern communities

4) Improve funding for education and French language access

  • Support the University of Sudbury in transforming into a university by and for Francophones

5) Protect Ontario’s natural heritage

  • Provide $1B in funding to First Nations communities to support Indigenous-protected and conserved areas and Indigenous-led climate solutions

6) Partner with Indigenous communities

  • Invest in the creation of 14,000 Indigenous-led affordable homes in Northern Ontario communities

7) Improve connections to the North

  • Immediately restore and improve the Northlander passenger rail service between Toronto and Cochrane with funding for upfront capital costs of $220 million as well as annual operating subsidies of $12 million
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Leaders Debate Northern Issues

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Ontario’s party leaders debated each other for the first time this election in North Bay.

The state of our highways was among the issues raised.

PC leader Doug Ford outlined the investments made and criticized Steve Del Duca when he was Transportation Minister under Kathleen Wynne’s government.

“Mr. DeLuca, you had your opportunity, and you failed. You were the Minister of Transportation. You didn’t build absolutely nothing, absolutely nothing,” said Ford.

NDP leader Andrea Horwath said the promises Ford was making this election as the same made four years ago and not acted upon.

“I have to say it’s pretty interesting when I know that some of the promises that Mr. Ford is making are the same ones that were in his last platform, and he hasn’t gotten around to those things,” said Horwath.

Ford shot back, calling Horwath anti-development.

“Miss Horvath, you’d be in the middle protesting with protest signs on the highway with all your protesters because your anti-development, you’re infrastructure. I’m about getting it done. I’m about building this province,” said Ford.

“You’re about your buddies, Doug,” retorted Horwath.

The debate was held as part of a gathering of municipal leaders from northeastern Ontario.

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NDP Rolls Out Northern Ontario Platform

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NDP leader Andrea Horwath has released her party’s platform for northern Ontario.

Health care plays a prominent role.

It includes hiring 300 more doctors, including one hundred specialists and 40 mental health practitioners.

“You have not gotten your fair share on so many fronts, and we’re here to say you can get your fair share with the government that pays attention to your needs,” says Horwath.

Horwath is also promising to deal with the opioid crisis with investments in treatment programs and revamping the Northern Ontario Travel Grant program.

Other components include creating more training and job opportunities in the trades, mining and film and television sector.

An NDP government would also make high-speed Internet available across the north by 2025.

Ontario Liberal leader Stephen Del Duca has released his full campaign platform.

It’s labelled A Place to Grow.

He says it tackles the province’s affordability crisis and will help families get ahead.

“Our message to the people of Ontario is that this plan will give them the relief that they deserve. And the choice on June 2 will be theirs,” says Del Duca.

The Liberal plan is fully costed.

Del Duca says it also paves a way for Ontario’s budget to be balanced by the 2026-27 fiscal year.

Green Party leader Mike Schreiner wants to give first-time homebuyers a level playing field.

Schreiner says if elected premier, he will put the brakes on wealthy speculators and corporations, which he says are driving up the costs of homes across the province.

“We will bring in a multiple homes speculation tax and a vacant home speculation tax. The clampdown on the rampant speculation happening in the housing market,” says Schreiner.

Schreiner will also make home inspections mandatory at the seller’s expense.

Ontario PC leader Doug Ford is promising to increase the Ontario Disability Support Program by five per cent,

It will then be followed by annual increases tied to inflation.

Ford is also pledging an enhancement to a credit program geared toward low-income individuals and families.

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Leaders to Debate in North Bay

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Ontario’s party leaders will gather in North Bay today.

They are taking part in a debate as part of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities conference.

Northern issues are expected to play prominently.

The questions are coming from municipal leaders in northeastern Ontario.

It will be the first debate for the leaders of the PC, Liberal, NDP and Green parties since the election was called.

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Ford Insists Opioid Crisis Being Addressed

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PC leader Doug Ford is defending his party’s record when it comes to the opioid crisis in northern Ontario.

Several communities have seen a rise in overdoses and related-death in the last few years.

Speaking yesterday in Timmins, Ford says tackling the issue has been a priority.

“Actually, we are getting it done. We’re the only government that made sure we had a Minister of Mental Health and Addiction. We’ve done the largest investment in Canadian history of $3.8 billion,” says Ford.

He says that is far and above what the Liberals did when they were in power.

“They did absolutely nothing. They never had a Minister of Mental Health and Addiction. They didn’t put a red cent into mental health and addiction. We’re putting $3.8 billion. I understand it’s an issue here, and we’re going to continue investing and make sure that we help people that have an addiction or have any mental health issues.”

The budget brought forward before the election call included an investment of $204 million into mental health programs.

Recently, a report issued by the Northern Policy Institute presented to local leaders concluded that local municipalities are finding themselves cash strapped in dealing with homelessness, addictions and mental issues.

Analyst and Author Holly Parsons, “All health units in northern Ontario have seen a general increase in opioid-related emergency department visits, with more drastic increases experienced in Northwest Health Unit, Porcupine Health Unit and Public Health Sudbury and District.”

Parsons makes eight recommendations, including creating a northern mental health and addictions centre of excellence to address the unique challenges of service delivery in the region.

She stresses one-size-fits-all policies and standardized systems of care don’t always work up here.

It was a quiet day for the other provincial party leaders on Sunday.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath hosted a Mother’s Day brunch in Ayr.

Green Party leader Mike Schreiner held private meetings with residents in his riding of Guelph.

Liberal leader Steven Del Duca opted to do no campaigning on Mother’s Day.

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