Ontario Premier Doug Ford has officially triggered an early provincial election for Feb. 27 after meeting with Ontario’s lieutenant-governor, his office confirmed.
Ford visited Lt.-Gov. Edith Dumont on Tuesday afternoon to ask her to dissolve the 43rd parliament of the Province of Ontario. She accepted his request.
Ford has said he needs a new mandate from the electorate in order to deal with U.S. President Donald Trump, something he repeated at a news conference Tuesday morning ahead of his visit to the lieutenant-governor.
“This is gonna be a battle for the next four years. I want to make sure I have a strong mandate to outlast President Trump.”
Ford said his cabinet has discussed an “economic action plan” to deal with the fallout from Trump’s impending tariffs that will be rolled out during the election campaign.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is set to meet with the lieutenant-governor on Tuesday to request dissolution of provincial parliament and trigger an early election for Feb. 27. In a news conference on Tuesday morning, Ford said he needs a strong mandate from the electorate in order to deal with U.S. President Donald Trump. CBC’s Lane Harrison has the details.
Asked if he was worried that an election might result in a weaker mandate, Ford said that would be “up to the people.”
“They have a choice, do they want a leader who’s going to protect jobs, protect peoples livelihoods, protect businesses?” Ford said.
“That’s what people are going to have to decide.”
NDP Leader Marit Stiles, Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie and Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner have all said calling an election more than a year early is a waste of time and money.
In a statement Tuesday, Stiles said Ford was “pursuing his own political gain” by shutting down the provincial legislature for an early election
“People need a premier who will fight like hell for every single job that’s at risk, not run to the polls over a year early.”
Nonetheless, of the parties have been kicking preparation into high gear, with a key focus on getting their candidates in place.
The Ontario Liberal Party confirmed Tuesday Crombie will be running in Mississauga East—Cooksville.
Ford says he plans to act in his capacity as premier, including visiting Washington, D.C., in February with a group of other premiers, while also campaigning as leader of the Progressive Conservatives.
Almost immediately after Ford visits Dumont, he is set to participate in a virtual Council of the Federation call with the other premiers.