Ontario Premier Doug Ford plans to name a snap election Wednesday, in search of a good bigger majority than his present authorities holds and utilizing the specter of 25 per cent tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump as a justification.
That election name would ship Ontarians to the polls on Feb. 27, greater than a 12 months earlier than the June 2026 mounted election date.
“With a powerful mandate, we can battle with Donald Trump to ensure we cease the tariffs,” he stated Friday at a press convention.
Ford, who already has a big majority authorities, recommended he isn’t happy with the 79 out of 124 seats his Progressive Conservatives presently maintain.
“We’d like the most important mandate in Ontario’s historical past,” he stated.
“When you’ve a powerful mandate in politics, and you’ve got a powerful mandate from the folks for the subsequent 4 years to final over the 4 years of the Trump administration, I can let you know, the opposition treats you with a little bit extra respect, versus being weak. At all times folks assume, ‘OK, they are going into an election.'”
Ford was in Brampton, Ont., to announce that he plans to construct a tunnel within the metropolis for an LRT challenge. Seats in Brampton and the remainder of Peel Area, which incorporates Mississauga and Caledon, could also be extra in play this election with former Mississauga mayor Bonnie Crombie now chief of the Ontario Liberals.
Ford confirmed that he might be visiting the lieutenant-governor on Tuesday to dissolve the legislature and have the writs issued on Wednesday.
He stated he can carry out his duties as premier of the province whereas additionally campaigning as chief of the Progressive Conservatives. He nonetheless plans to move to Washington, D.C., twice in February to make a case to U.S. lawmakers to keep away from tariffs.
Ford has stated he expects the doable Trump measures to hit Ontario significantly laborious, particularly the auto sector. He stated Ontario may lose upwards of 500,000 jobs ought to Trump observe by means of on his 25 per cent tariff menace.
“When the tariffs hit, it impacts the media, it impacts manufacturing, it impacts each single sector on this province,” he stated in response to a reporter’s query about whether or not he would launch a completely costed platform.
“So that you higher pray that we get elected, as a result of I’ll defend everybody’s job, together with the media’s job.”
Opposition events have stated an early election is just not vital as a result of they might assist stimulus spending, and Ford already has a mandate to guard Ontario’s pursuits.
The specter of tariffs is strictly why the premier shouldn’t be calling an election, Inexperienced Occasion Chief Mike Schreiner stated.
“We have to show power by means of unity to defend Canadian employees, Canadian jobs and Canadian corporations,” he wrote in an announcement.
“However Doug Ford is placing his job earlier than your job.”
Rumours of an early election have been swirling since final spring, and NDP Chief Marit Stiles stated Ford has simply landed on tariffs now because the justification.
“I feel he is simply been on the lookout for an excuse, an excuse so that it’s going to distract from the truth that his authorities is underneath legal investigation by the RCMP,” she stated.
“He says that he wants a mandate to battle for jobs in Ontario? I’ve a message for him: you’re the premier of this province. It’s your mandate each single day to battle for the roles of working folks on this province.”
The RCMP is probing the federal government’s choice to open up components of the protected Greenbelt for housing growth — a now-reversed coverage that noticed a handful of builders stand to profit to the tune of greater than $8 billion, in line with the auditor normal.
Ford has stated he’s assured nothing legal happened.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Jan. 24, 2025.
Liam Casey and Allison Jones, The Canadian Press
