Ford friends and allies get special treatment, Ontario families pay the price

At the first question period for the new legislative session on Monday morning, official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath grilled Doug Ford for spending his first weeks in office cutting deals for insiders, lobbyists and friends he owes favours to. 

 

“Instead of being a premier for everyone, we’ve seen Doug Ford making backroom deals that are driven by what’s best for lobbyists and insiders,” said NDP Leader Horwath.

 

Horwath and the NDP MPPs gave example after example of Ford delivering favours for big polluters, ticket-scalpers, and his social conservative base. 

 

“Kathleen Wynne’s $6 million-man is now Doug Ford’s $9 million-man, thanks to whatever secret deal the Conservatives cooked up behind closed doors. Mr. Ford made a backroom deal with far-right lobbyists to force an outdated sex-ed curriculum on students and drag Ontario back to 1998. And who lobbied him to roll back the new law to improve police oversight and transparency?”

 

Ford’s secret deals will cost Ontarians billions of dollars, as the government shells out millions of dollars for Hydro One executives and board members, compensates companies for lost cap-and-trade investments, and pays out penalties for ripping up contracts. And rolling back the sex ed curriculum means Ontario’s young people will no longer be taught about cyberbullying, consent, or healthy relationships – including same-sex marriage, which was legalized after the curriculum was written.

 

“Why is Doug Ford making backroom deals that help insiders and Conservative friends – at the expense of the people of Ontario?” Horwath asked.

This Media Release