this post was submitted on 18 Feb 2025
75 points (96.3% liked)

Ontario

3585 readers
50 users here now

A place to discuss all the news and events taking place in the province of Ontario, Canada.

Rules

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Author: Mark Winfield, Professor, Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Canada

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has justified his early election call on the need to respond to United States President Donald Trump’s threat to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports.

While the threat of tariffs on all Canadian imports has been paused — although Trump has since slapped levies on all steel and aluminum imports into the U.S. — Ontario voters need to reflect more than ever on the province’s circumstances and the performance of its government as they prepare to head to the polls next week.

The Ford government’s approach to the environment and climate change, as well as its policies on a range of other issues like housing, health care and education, is best understood in the context of its overall “market populist” approach to governance.

Several defining features of this model have emerged over the past six and a half years under Ford’s rule.

all 22 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] wise_pancake@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Honestly I don’t feel particularly inspired to vote for any candidate this election.

I’m leaning towards NDP, but the LPC are beating them and with the vote split my riding is leaning conservative.

I don’t like Crombie’s campaign at all. It’s all attack little substance, and frankly they do need a costed platform.

This morning on the radio she said the conservatives don’t have one either and that’s so not the point and pathetic to me.

As if “we won’t go beyond the already low bar” is who I want in power over my health and the education of my family. That’s just asinine.

[–] bluemite@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Do vote. Parties get funding related to the number of votes they get, so it's at least a little bit helpful for the future.

[–] wise_pancake@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 year ago

I always vote, I’m not attached to any party, so they’ve made things difficult for me this time.

[–] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 year ago

Crombie met with Ford privately, he agreed to break up Peel and she agreed to run for the Liberal party leader

She promised to be just like him up until he went back on his plan to break up Peel

Why anyone would vote for her is beyond me

[–] wirebeads@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 year ago

The one thing I do is vote. Even if I don’t like the candidates, which this go around, I really don’t, it’s a right that many people fought and died for and billions of people don’t have the right to.

Is it ideal? No. Not when politicians are just trust fund babies or career politicians.

However, I do feel that voting and as of late strategic voting is important.

Wynne sucked so we voted in Ford. Well, he’s even worse. The premier of the province who secretly just wants to be mayor of Toronto.

I’d like to see ford gone. It’s not going to happen, so the best we can hope for is a government more represented with less power.

Fords running on a zero sum platform except for Trump bad. The other platforms aren’t much better.

The other issue is snap elections don’t allow for any party to actually get their facts out. They shouldn’t be allowed as they’re just power grabs similar to the last provincial and federal elections. It shouldn’t be allowed.

I’d also really love a politician to have the bls to change the voting system. First past the post is a sham.

[–] JadeSleeps@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

This is also true for federal, Liberals really need to figure out their new prime minister selection and fast. Like let's face it they are the only party rn that has a chance in beating the conservatives. The longer they spend without a public face advocating for a change the less voter turnout there will be. As for Ontario Bonnie Crombie or Marit Stiles needs to do like a press junket or something that way people that are not that tuned in to the election cycle will actually remember they have another option other then Ford.

[–] JokeDeity@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Truth. Learn from us. If a 3rd of the county didn't sit at home things could have been different.

[–] nik282000@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Both two and a half parties at all levels of Canadian government serve only to protect and promote businesses. The liberals will support their business interests, the conservatives will support their own. Neither will measurably improve day to day life of Canadians, both will make it less tolerable, just in different ways.

A kid on a roof almost made more of a difference than every vote cast in the US.

edit: a word

[–] araneae@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Go ahead and give up your voice in your presently at least nominally democratic society then.

[–] nik282000@lemmy.ca 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What voice? Your/my choices are between lining the pockets of an ethnically and culturally diverse collection of rich people, or a collection of old, white, rich people.

[–] araneae@beehaw.org 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

So choose the ethnically diverse rich people.

[–] electric_nan@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Consider maybe possibly potentially... trying to engage the voters?

[–] nik282000@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago

But we tried lying to them on TV AND online, what else can a politician do?