TORONTO – The leaders of Ontario’s main parties running in the provincial elections continue their tour, announcing “plans” and promising to solve the most pressing problems and issues of the moment. 

The leader of the NDP, Marit Stiles, was in Hamilton and Sault Ste. Marie today for her election campaign: with a tweet on “X”, she relaunched one of the main points of her program, support for those who pay rent which in Ontario, but especially in Toronto, is increasingly unsustainable. “After seven years of Doug Ford,” Stiles wrote, “rent is higher than it’s ever been. And it’s only getting worse. People worry they’re a renovation or an unfair rent hike away from crisis. And finding a new, affordable place is nearly impossible. Renters deserve a government that supports and protects them. As Premier, I’ll bring in real rent control, crack down on bad actors, and build more homes in every community that people can afford…”.

Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie, today in Toronto and Thunder Bay, returned to one of her strong points: healthcare. “Fixing family medicine will be the single most important priority of an Ontario Liberal government – We have a comprehensive plan to guarantee every person in Ontario has a family doctor close to home”.

Crombie’s plan would be implemented through these points: educate, attract and retain thousands of new domestic and internationally trained family doctors; improve the Ontario Health Team network, using it to massively expand access to family doctors practicing in teams close to your home within four years; modernize family medicine, put an end to fax machines once and for all, and make appointments available on evenings and weekends; stop penalizing patients and doctors if they seek care at walk-in clinics. “You can’t find a family doctor. Wait times have exploded. And hospitals are actually shutting their doors to people who need help” said Crombie. “Doug Ford has deliberately destroyed our health care system, and you and your family are paying the price. And while he is focused on the controversies, I am focused on you”.

Speaking of Doug Ford, outgoing prime minister and conservative leader, he was in Waterloo today visiting two factories in the region. He returned to talk about the topic of US tariffs, perhaps the most discussed theme at the moment, and reiterated that Ontario remains ready to take retaliatory measures in the event of US tariffs, including breaking the $100 million contract with Elon Musk’s “Starlink”.

“I can’t support someone hell bent on destroying our province, taking food off people’s tables and destroying the economy” Ford said. “I just can’t roll over”.

Ford said on Monday that the province would rip up the contract with Starlink and stop doing business with U.S. companies going forward in response to the tariffs. However, he announced later that day that the measures would be put on “pause” following a last-minute deal to delay the implementation of the tariffs until at least March 1.

Then, he suggested that while “Canada does not want to retaliate” it remains prepared to should U.S. President Donald Trump follow through on a threat to slap a 25 per cent tariff on most goods.

Ford also rejected Trump’s suggestion earlier this week that the United States does not need to import Canadian oil, gas, autos or lumber. “I respectfully disagree. We buy as many cars as we sell into the U.S. The auto sector is so integrated, parts can go back and forth eight times” he said. “The energy. There is 4.3 million barrels (of oil) every day (that is shipped to the U.S.). That is 1.2 billion barrels a year. And on electricity, Ontario keeps lights on for 1.5 million homes and business in New York and Michigan and Minnesota…”.

Finally, the leader of the Green Party, Mike Schreiner, today continued his electoral campaign in the Guelph area, where he went into detail about his “Grow Ontario” plan in favor of farmers and returned to attacking Doug Ford for the Greenbelt-case which, months ago, forced the premier to withdraw the agreements made with some developers to build in some protected green areas of Ontario.

The electoral campaign, therefore, continues between proposals and controversy. Voters will go to the polls on February 27 for an early election wanted by the current prime minister Doug Ford who is asking for a “strong mandate” to protect Ontario from the imposition of American tariffs which, according to him, could lead to the loss of 500,000 jobs in the province.

(Photo: Elections Ontario)