PC incumbent Doug Ford was peppered from all sides during the northern leaders debate in North Bay Friday.
The Liberal’s Bonnie Crombie, NDP’s Marit Stiles and Green Party’s Mike Schreiner continually targeted Ford’s record over the past seven years and promises not kept.
Ford says the other parties did nothing but vote against solutions and investments.
Issues revolved around funding municipalities, addictions and mental health, affordable housing, out of control costs, northern highways and the forestry sector.
On a variety of topics, including housing, Ford co-related protecting the economy from U.S. tariffs.
“We’re going to protect the people of Ontario,” he says. “And how you build more homes is you protect businesses, you protect the jobs against Donald Trump’s tariffs.”
Stiles wants to know where the homes are.
“He won’t answer the question because the truth is there are no new homes in Ontario,” she says. “Housing starts have been lower than they have been since the ’50s.”
Crombie questioned Ford’s priorities with his trip south of the border this week.
“You fly off in the middle of an election for photo ops in Washington with low level advisors, what’s the point? Why did you call the election? We have a housing crisis here,” she says.
Schreiner says the government has different priorities.
“Mr. Ford has said no to every housing solution that works for people. Why? Because the interests of wealthy land speculators are more important to this government,” he says.
The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities hosted the debate at Canadore College, with Cogeco broadcasting and streaming the live event.
All four leaders will take part in a second debate on Monday night.
Feb. 27 is election day in Ontario.
**With files from Brad Aubin
