Advertisement 1

It's official: Ontario election campaign begins Wednesday

Politicians have already been unofficially campaigning for weeks, with two out of the three major parties having released their platforms

Article content

Ontario’s election campaign is set to officially start Wednesday, after the lieutenant-governor accepted Premier Doug Ford’s advice to dissolve provincial parliament.

Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content

Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell formally named June 2 as the election date.

Article content

Ontario politicians have already been unofficially campaigning for weeks, with two out of the three major parties having released their platforms.

ONTARIO ELECTION: The early outlook in the 10-riding London region

On his way in to meet with Dowdeswell on Tuesday afternoon, Ford said people will have “a very clear choice” on June 2.

“This election is about one simple thing,” he said. “Either the people of this province are going to choose to go backwards . . .  or they’re going to choose prosperity, getting things built, bridges roads and highways like we’re doing.”

Polls at this point suggest Ford’s Progressive Conservatives are poised for re-election, with the third-place Liberals potentially overtaking the NDP to form the official Opposition.

Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content

But NDP Leader Andrea Horwath maintained Tuesday that her party is the best bet for what she calls “job number 1” — defeating Ford’s Progressive Conservatives.

Who’s running where in London’s four ridings

At an event in Toronto, Horwath noted that her party formed the official Opposition in the legislature in 2018, while the Liberals are entering the race this time holding just seven seats.

She also highlighted her party’s platform promises on covering mental health services under OHIP, hiring more health-care workers and providing more affordable housing as priorities for the upcoming campaign.

“We know that the things that matter most to people can be addressed if we come together this time and make sure that Doug Ford is defeated with a vote for the NDP,” she said.

Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca said Ford and Horwath “seem to be on the same page,” with both directing attacks at him, including each party running anti-Del Duca ads last year.

“I get that they’re going to continue to focus on me . . .  I’m going to focus on the 15 million people who call this province home, and what they need and what they’re looking for and what they’re hoping for, as we come out of this pandemic for a quality of life that I think that they deserve,” Del Duca said.

Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Latest National Stories
    News Near Tillsonburg
      This Week in Flyers