Last modified on September 17, 2023, at 00:06

Doug Ford

Douglas Robert “Doug” Ford, Jr.

Incumbent
Assumed office 
June 29, 2018
Preceded by Kathleen Wynne

Born November 20, 1964
Etobicoke, Ontario

Douglas Robert Ford Jr. (born November 20, 1964), known as Doug Ford, is the 26th and current Premier of Ontario, Canada and the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. He is the brother of late former Toronto mayor Rob Ford.[1] He has been both praised and criticized for his policies, including his opposition towards a federal carbon tax and handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite running as a conservative in the 2018 Ontario election where his party ousted the Ontario Liberal regime of Kathleen Wynne which Ford thought to be corrupt,[2] many have criticized his management of the COVID-19 pandemic, as some people thought he has acted in a totalitarian manner with lockdown measures increasingly intended to cripple Ontario's economy and bring life in the province to a standstill since the onset of the pandemic, controversially using the Ontario Provincial Police as his lockdown enforcers.[3][4][5]

Anti-tyranny protests

See also: Freedom Convoy

On February 11, 2022, Ford declared a state of emergency in response to the anti-mandate Freedom Protests in Ottawa. Ford authorized arrests, seizures, fines, and revocation of licenses. Ford reminded the Canadian citizens that only government is permitted to destroy livelihoods, collapse businesses and create economic pain. The people in and around Ontario are not allowed to disrupt or influence the provincial economic activity; picking winners and losers is exclusively the role of government.[6] Ford promised to create legislation to permanently codify his orders against the truckers into Canadian provincial law. Trade unions must never again attempt this type of rebellion against the government.

Subsidies to transportation

During Ford, the service frequency of GO Transit has been greatly subsidized, tolls on Highway 412 and 418 were removed, and the licence plate renewal fee was removed.

His plans for Highway 413 have been criticized by environmental advocates, as the highway would result in induced demand for driving and increase pollution.[7]

References