Harry Shannon
The Premier of Ontario is Doug Ford. He’s a right-wing populist who has won three majority governments in a row. When Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canada and threatened to make it the 51st state, Ford led the premiers of other provinces and territories in the initial response. He seemed to be uniting the country (which helped him win the election he called early in late February).
Since then, though, he has reverted to type. He’s very good at making announcements or pulling off political stunts. When a whiskey bottling company recently said it would move its operations to the U.S. to avoid tariffs, he spoke to the media in open air and theatrically poured out a bottle on the ground to show his anger.
Late last year, he proposed building a vehicle tunnel under the often-congested Highway 401, which runs across the north of Toronto. It’s a ludicrous scheme simply based on the likely cost. Even worse, we learned in August that Ford gave up the idea in 2021 when an unreleased feasibility study found a tunnel had the “potential for roadway collapse.” Yet Ford now seems determined to proceed.
Ford has also failed miserably to provide affordable housing. In 2022, he promised to build 1.5 million new homes by 2031. But numbers are well below targets. That’s despite fiddling the figures by including student dorms, long-term care beds, and retirement homes – which weren’t part of the original plan.
Last week he went on a rant when talking to the Toronto Regional Board of Trade. Unemployment among Ontario youth is 22%. But Ford attacked those who can’t find a job. “It drives me nuts,” he said when they tell him about it, adding that they just need to “look hard enough.” A column in the Hamilton Spectator criticized Ford for this, saying he’s “detached from reality” and arguing he’s the one who should work harder. I wrote the following letter pulling these failures together. It appeared in today’s paper.
Re: Ford is detached from reality on jobs, Comment, Sept. 13
A few months ago, when I learned about Doug Ford’s plan to build a tunnel under the 401, my immediate reaction was: “What’s he been smoking?” After reading how he denies the unemployment crisis among our youth and blames them for their plight, I thought: “Still smoking?”
Seriously, I don’t think he has been ingesting hallucinogens, but he might as well have been. Instead, as the column argued, he needs to work hard to create good jobs for young Ontarians. He also needs to ensure that, when they get work they can afford a place to live; current housing starts are well below the target he set. And instead of fantasy projects like the tunnel, he should develop better public transit.
I say to Mr. Ford: You’re wealthy enough to pour away good whiskey, but most people aren’t. Stop accusing youth of not trying hard enough, while you dream up useless schemes that will enrich your friends. Start creating the economy you promised that’s genuinely “for the people.”
Harry Shannon, Dundas