Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario have been in power for almost six months now.
We knew that Ford’s agenda for Ontario would be a dangerous step backwards, that he would undo many of the progressive policies we’ve fought hard for over many years, but even we are stunned by how aggressive and undemocratic the Progressive Conservatives have been so far—and it looks like they are just getting started.
SECRET AGENDA
Here are just a few of the major initiatives the PCO government has undertaken that they never said anything about during the election campaign:
-
Passed a law to cut Toronto City Council in half -
Threatened to use the notwithstanding clause of the constitution to trump any court rulings against their agenda -
cut three critical independent commissioner’s offices that hold the government accountable- the Environment Commissioner, the Child and Youth Advocate and the French Language Commissioner -
removed the independence of the six remaining offices by taking away the power of the legislature as a whole to appoint and dismiss them and giving that power to the government caucus -
cancelled a new French language university, -
cut in half the scheduled increases to disability support payments -
fired the province`s Chief Scientist -
repealed regulations that protected consumers from the monopoly of wireless communications providers -
cancelled highly effective GreenON energy retrofit programs -
put new police oversight rules on hold -
cancelled $100 million in much needed repairs to schools -
changed daycare regulations to allow many more children per caregiver -
cut funding for the Ontario College of Midwives
Broken Promises
-
they broke their promise to not cut the Basic Income Guarantee pilot project -
they broke their promise not to open the Greenbelt lands up for development -
they broke their promise to not cancel any rent controls -
they broke their promise to order a line-by-line audit of government spending, and make the results public -
they even broke their promise of buck a beer (not a very important promise but “PROMISE MADE PROMISE BROKEN” nevertheless
Cancelling Progress:
-
cancelling the $1 per hour increase to minimum wage -
cancelling Bill 148 which brought decades overdue protections to the most vulnerable workers -
cancelling the Green Energy Act -
cancelling hundreds of small green energy projects
Scandals and Back Room Deals:
-
appointing Ford’s friend as OPP commissioner -
ordering a customized “camper van” to be purchased off the books -
refusing to suspend Finance Minister Vic Fedeli until accusations of sexual harassment were addressed
MORE REGRESSIVE GOVERNMENT TO COME
Ford never explained exactly how he would pay for his tax cuts for corporations and the highest income earners, but he did say he would be privatizing and selling off public assets. The PCO is already floating the idea of privatizing the subway system of the Toronto Transit Commission.
We are tracking the PCO’s reckless governance on a new webpage www.canadians.org/ford Check it out!
We may be stuck with Ford for three and a half more years but we are not going to sit on our hands. We have been working with progressive allies across Ontario to protect the most vulnerable, to safeguard our communities, and to prevent Ford and his cronies from dismantling our province.
We have been vocal in our opposition to the Ford agenda through the press, on social media and in person at protests across Ontario. We have also been calling donors to the PCO and asking them to stop giving the party money since they are not behaving in a way that anyone- even PCO voters and donors should condone or support.
We know it won’t be easy but we have fought regressive governments many times over the last 34 years and, with your support, we can do it again.
We have tens of thousands of supporters and 15 grassroots chapters in Ontario and we will mobilize thousands more across the province as people come to realize what Ford’s real agenda is.
Together, we will oppose Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservative Party.
Together, we will fight for an Ontario that works for everyone.
