The important difference between Trump and Ford
TORONTO—Forget the comparisons to Donald Trump. Doug Ford, Ontario’s new Progressive Conservative leader, is very much a homegrown phenomenon. If he and his party win the June provincial election, it will be for homegrown reasons. Ontario is usually a Red Tory province. Voters tend to elect parties, whether they call themselves PC, Liberal or New […]
Championing the green economy: why values matter more than logic
Carbon tax—“unfair”, according to the new Ontario PC leader Doug Ford. His colleague, Tanya Granic Allen, a former candidate for the leadership, suggests that she has always known “right from my gut” that carbon taxes are “wrong.” Such knee-jerk, “gut” reactions to a strategy that behavioural economists know to be a rational way to curb […]
The councillor from Crazy Town has morphed into a premier-in-waiting
Premier Doug Ford. Say that three times fast. Then take a breath and let it sink in because it could happen. This candidate is not to be underestimated, regardless of his perceived shortcomings and the circus that often travels with Ford family campaigns. At the outset of the now-concluded—although you never know with this crowd—Progressive […]
Don’t underestimate Doug Ford
After a topsy-turvy sprint of an election campaign, former Toronto city councillor Doug Ford is now leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. And he may just become premier after Canada’s most-populous province goes to the polls in June, given the mood for change in Ontario after 15 years of Liberal rule. The gas plant […]
Ten reasons Doug Ford could win and did
TORONTO—When I quit the Olivia Chow Toronto mayoral campaign in 2014, guess who was the first person to call me? Doug Ford. “Warren, old buddy,” said Doug Ford, brother of former Toronto mayor, the late Rob Ford. “We’ve had our differences but I want you to chin up. Rob and I like you and respect you. […]
Conservative MP Nuttall, a top Brown supporter, along with ‘15-20’ nominated PC candidates throwing support behind Christine Elliott in Ontario PC leadership campaign
Conservative MP Alex Nuttall, a friend and top supporter of former Ontario PC leader Patrick Brown, is throwing his support “along with 15-20” nominated PC candidates, behind former Ontario MPP Christine Elliott, for the party’s top job, he says. “I’m going there and it’s my expectation that the majority of the Patrick Brown team is […]
Country’s largest provincial Conservative party in uncharted territory in many more ways than one
There is not a political observer or insider anywhere in Canada whose attention is not riveted on the ongoing Ontario Tory leadership drama and with good reason. The country’s largest provincial Conservative party is in uncharted territory in many more ways than one. That starts with the minor celebrity status that comes with some of […]
Patrick Brown Show notwithstanding, Ontario PCs still favoured to win
TORONTO—The Patrick Clown Show continues to be the biggest political story in Canada—but the biggest provincial conservative party, the Ontario PCs, are still competitive. How come? The papers are brimming with stories about Patrick Brown. For instance: on Wednesday morning of last week, out of 13 provincial-politics-related clippings landing on staffers’ desks at Queen’s Park, […]
Brown’s team quickly switches gears from crisis management to full-blown leadership campaign, says Mills
Controversially green-lit to run in the Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership campaign after stunningly entering into the race at the eleventh hour on Feb. 16 and three weeks after quitting the job, Patrick Brown and his team of consultants have moved from managing a crisis to running a full-blown leadership campaign, says his public spokesperson Alise […]
Mulroney comes out ahead with 10 Conservative caucus endorsements in Ontario PC leadership race
Progressive Conservative leadership candidates Caroline Mulroney, Christine Elliott, and Patrick Brown are grabbing the endorsements of several prominent Ontario Conservative MPs, but there seems to be less love for former Toronto city councillor Doug Ford and activist Tanya Granic Allen. So far, Ms. Mulroney is garnering the most support, with at least 10 endorsements. Conservative […]
