You can “Protect Ontario” by removing Doug Ford’s failing government from office
Dear Editor,
Anyone voting for Premier Doug Ford and his PC government needs to look at what their government has done to our province and the liberties they are taking with taxpayer dollars. The ongoing trend of prioritizing controversial projects over the province’s most pressing issues is alarming, as evidenced by their decisions to bulldoze Ontario Place (destroying biodiversity and crucial animal habitats), closing the Ontario Science Centre, dismantling bike lanes and encampments, and pursuing a costly $100 million contract with Starlink. Add to that their plans to spend $60 billion on a wasteful tunnel for cars in Toronto. All of this, while problems in education, healthcare, housing, and poverty continue to grow unchecked. Meanwhile St. Lawrence College, our only local post-secondary institution is going through some major cuts and it seems that the Minister of Colleges and Universities MPP Nolan Quinn doesn’t seem to be treating it with the urgency and care it deserves.
Class sizes are rising, teachers and EAs are overwhelmed, over 80,000 people are homeless in this province (growing by 25% since 2022), health services are overwhelmed, nurses are underpaid and disrespected by their government (Ford spent $4.3 million taking nurses to court) food banks are drying up and affordable housing remains out of reach for many. Instead of focusing on addressing these fundamental needs, the government’s focus on pet projects, such as car-centric infrastructure and pricey Starlink contracts, demonstrates a failure to put people first.
The future of Ontario should be focused on innovation, community, and ensuring that basic services are accessible and effective. This massive spending is a choice to prioritize the interests of the few over the welfare of the many. The Ford government is using the slogan “Protect Ontario” but the only protection they give is to themselves and their wealthy friends.
Ontarians deserve better. We need action on poverty, not a focus on lavish and divisive projects like putting alcohol and beer in corner stores to the tune of over $1 billion by 2030. They spent over $11 million moving Ontario Service Centres into a private American company’s store, Staples, a project that wasn’t even earmarked as urgent.
Premier Ford and his Conservative party are continuing to spiral our province into crisis after crisis. It’s time to stop spending billions on pet projects that serve the few and start investing in the well-being of every Ontarian. Ford needs to stop kissing Trump’s ring, spending money on Fox News to get his attention, and cozying up to Elon Musk and actually show up for his constituents.
Only 43.5% of people voted in 2022, please do yourself a favour and don’t sit this important election out. Ford and his government would love that, that’s why they called an election in February, with only 3 days advance voting (compared to the usual 10 days). Find out when and where you can vote at: https://www.elections.on.ca. Many lives are depending on it.
Kelly Bergeron
Cornwall
