Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Friday that he would ask for an early election February 27 as he looks to achieve a third successive majority government with growing worries over a looming trade war with the US. Ford said that the biggest motivator is a potential 25% tariff threat from US President Donald Trump, who he called an “attack” on Ontario’s economy, businesses, and families. He said that a strong mandate would better position Ontario to battle such economic pressures.
Ford has become a vocal critic of Trump’s tariff plans and has even suggested drastic measures such as cutting off power supplies to the US or banning American alcohol products in retaliation. His call for an election aims to secure a strong mandate to handle any economic fallout. “With a strong mandate, we will be able to fight with Donald Trump,” Ford stated.
However, his political opponents have criticized the timing of the election, accusing him of using the threat of tariffs as a diversion from a criminal investigation into his government. The federal police launched an investigation into the government’s controversial land swap deal involving Ontario’s greenbelt lands, which has led to several resignations within Ford’s cabinet.
While Ford claims that the election will strengthen his hand in managing the tariffs, opposition parties say that it is an attempt to delay the accountability for the corruption case being investigated against him. Both the Liberal Party leader Bonnie Crombie and New Democratic Party’s leader condemned the election call against Ford, which was termed a reckless move by the opposition. Despite this, the polls continue to show Ford’s Progressive Conservatives to be miles ahead of the opposition parties.
