Voters in Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, are expected to visit the polls on Thursday in an election in which the current premier intends to leverage U.S. tariff threats to increase his majority.
Doug Ford, the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, called an election more than a year in advance, contending that he required a more robust mandate to combat the tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Ford, who was 60 years old, had already achieved a majority administration in the provincial legislature.
After winning with a landslide in 2022 and in 2018, he is now pursuing a third consecutive majority mandate.
Trump has issued a threat to impose 25% tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico.
The manufacturing capital of Canada, Ontario, is home to approximately 35% of the country’s 40 million residents and would be significantly impacted if Trump implements tariffs. The province is one of the world’s largest sub-sovereign creditors.
Trump has also expressed his intention to utilise economic force to establish Canada as the 51st state.
Canadian politicians, such as Ford and his opponents, left-leaning New Democratic Party leader Marit Stiles and centrist Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie, have been strident in their opposition to both tariffs and Canada’s annexation effort.
At both the provincial and national levels, Trump is the dominant figure in Canadian politics. Additionally, it is anticipated that a federal election will be conducted this year.
Simultaneously, Ontario is experiencing difficulty in ensuring that its residents receive sufficient healthcare. The number of Ontarians without a primary care provider has increased from 1.8 million in 2020 to approximately 2.5 million.
Ford was criticised for implying that the overcrowding of emergency departments is due to the fact that individuals are arriving with sore throats and scraped legs. His opponents contend that individuals may be unable to obtain assistance in alternative locations.
Ontario, like other regions of Canada, is currently experiencing a housing affordability crisis and has not yet fully achieved its own housing objectives.
Ford has adopted the practice of wearing a “Canada is not for sale” hat and has made two visits to Washington, D.C., during the election campaign to advocate against U.S. tariffs. During an election period, when governments are in caretaker mode and generally expected to refrain from policy-making, he faced criticism for travelling there.
Laura Stephenson, a politics professor at Western University, stated that Ford’s decision to call the election was a gamble in hopes of securing another majority government. She also suggested that the gamble may prove advantageous.
On February 26, a CTV News/Nanos poll of 900 Ontarians revealed that the Progressive Conservatives were in the lead with 45.7% of decided electors, a 14-point advantage over the Liberals in second place.
It is uncommon for Ontario to conduct a winter election, and a significant portion of the province is still recovering from the recent snowstorms.
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Salman Ahmad is known for his significant contributions to esteemed publications like the Times of India and the Express Tribune. Salman has carved a niche as a freelance journalist, combining thorough research with engaging reporting.
