The Ontario election marketing campaign is in full swing — which you might have observed due to an unsolicited textual content message from PC Chief Doug Ford (extra on that under).
Right here’s a fast have a look at how the race unfolded through the first full week of campaigning. We’re protecting issues easy right here, however remember to observe the hyperlinks for deeper dives.
That you simply, Doug?
The Ontario PCs are sending unsolicited texts to some voters, providing in follow-up messages to supply a voting location on election day. The texts are allowed underneath Ontario election regulation and have been additionally utilized by the PC campaigns in 2018 and 2022. (CBC)
In a world the place digital spam and scams appear relentless, you might be skeptical in regards to the messages — particularly as a result of follow-up texts solicit your postal code with a promise to message once more on election day with details about the place to vote.
However the PC marketing campaign has confirmed they’re behind the texts, which Elections Ontario says are completely professional underneath the province’s marketing campaign guidelines. The messages are a contemporary get-out-the-vote tactic, and the PCs deployed the identical technique through the 2018 and 2022 elections.
If a textual content from any occasion directs you to the mistaken voting place, you possibly can submit a proper grievance to Elections Ontario, a spokesperson mentioned.
Tariff nervousness, aid, and… extra nervousness
The week began with the highlight on tariffs set to take impact Tuesday.
By Monday morning, Ontario was getting ready to yank U.S. booze off the LCBO’s cabinets and rip-up a contract with Elon Musk’s satellite tv for pc web firm.
And all 4 of the province’s main political events have been promising to struggle for you and stand as much as U.S. President Donald Trump.
Then at 3 p.m., Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Trump acquired on a name and agreed to a 30-day reprieve.
Canadians throughout the nation took a collective deep breath, and Ontario mentioned it might pause any retaliatory measures in the intervening time.
With the specter of tariffs briefly delayed — although there’s nonetheless a possible calamity on the horizon — the query is, what’s going to this election be about?
Ford has made it clear he desires to proceed to wage this electoral battle primarily on the query on tariffs.
CBC’s senior Queen’s Park reporter Mike Crawley breaks that query down:
With the commerce battle on pause, will tariffs stay the main target of Ontario’s election?
The Ontario NDP, Liberals and Greens are all attempting to shift the narrative of the election towards different main points for voters. CBC Queen’s Park reporter Mike Crawley explains how.
The week in missteps
Like Trump, Ford has an enormous, baked-in benefit of dominating the eye cycle. He will get to be the PC chief, however he’s additionally nonetheless the premier and a distinguished voice on this tariff debate.
However in a sizzling mic second this week that his opponents pounced on, Ford revealed he had been a Trump fan and was “100 per cent” completely happy when Trump was re-elected. That’s, till the president “pulled out the knife and f–king yanked it into us,” Ford mentioned.
Watch the second for your self:
Trump ‘pulled out the knife and f–king yanked it in us,’ Ford says
After chatting with reporters on Monday, PC Celebration Chief Doug Ford mentioned he was initially “happy” Donald Trump received the U.S. election till he threatened Canada with hefty tariffs.
After disavowing his earlier assist for Trump throughout a marketing campaign cease, Ford mentioned: “I’m sure there’s millions of Canadians that thought ‘OK, this might be a good change down in the U.S.’ — [but] it’s been a disaster… I’d never support that guy in my entire life.”
His political rivals rapidly jumped on the recent mic remark. The Ontario Liberal marketing campaign ran an assault advert the subsequent morning, replaying the second a number of occasions in a one-minute spot.
NDP Chief Marit Stiles used it as an opportunity to repeat her marketing campaign message that there are two totally different Fords.
“I think the fact that he keeps saying one thing in front of you and another thing behind doors tells you everything you need to know about Doug Ford,” she mentioned.
The subsequent day, Ford was peppered with questions on his feedback throughout a cease in Ottawa. The day after that, his marketing campaign began limiting queries to at least one query and one follow-up from six reporters at every occasion.
Watch Ford reply to questions on his Trump remark:
Ford responds to video saying he was ‘happy’ Trump received till tariff tussle
After being captured on video saying he was completely happy President Donald Trump had received the newest U.S. election till the specter of tariffs, PC Chief Doug Ford informed reporters Tuesday that he thought “things might be a little different” with this Trump administration.
The week was not with out gaffes for Crombie, both.
The issue? That change was made again when the Liberals have been nonetheless in energy.
In the meantime, The Trillium fact-checked the declare plastered in block letters throughout the Liberals’ marketing campaign bus that 11,000 Ontarians had died whereas ready for surgical procedure final 12 months. The evaluation discovered the quantity is severely inflated.
Requested in regards to the discrepancy, Crombie pointed to the persistence of ‘hallway health care’ in Ontario.
“So we stand by our statistics,” she mentioned.
What the polls say
Eric Grenier, the polling knowledgeable behind TheWrit.ca, dropped by the Metro Morning studio to supply an replace on the place the polls stand.
Spoiler alert: Ford’s PCs have a commanding lead.
Grenier’s evaluation is attention-grabbing, as he aggregates the numerous polls which can be on the market to attract his conclusions.
Watch his dialog with David Widespread right here:
What the polls say within the lead as much as the Ontario election
PC Chief Doug Ford is main the provincial election marketing campaign, however by how a lot? Polling knowledgeable Eric Grenier breaks down the newest numbers.
Let’s hear from the strategists
Metro Morning‘s political panel additionally teed off on the place the events stand, and the way the marketing campaign image is altering:
Watch the energetic debate:
Ford is main within the polls. These political strategists say that can change
Metro Morning’s political panel debated the explanation behind Doug Ford’s momentum within the Ontario election marketing campaign — and which of the foremost occasion leaders may show to be his strongest rival.
Are Ontario’s advertisements offside through the marketing campaign?
Noticed on American TV: pro-Ontario advert spots.
The province is working a multi-million greenback advert marketing campaign with hopes of dissuading the U.S. from levying tariffs.
Usually authorities promoting is paused as soon as an election is known as, however the province’s auditor basic — who oversees the ethics of advert spending — confirmed such a promoting is OK.
“In the case of this particular ad campaign, we determined that it is exempted from the prohibitions during the writ period because it is related to revenue-generating activity and is time-sensitive,” a spokesperson mentioned.
Answering some reader questions
Can we get a platform, please?
A number of readers have written us to ask about the place the foremost events stand on the problems that basically matter to them.
“I was wondering if you guys are planning to do policy summaries for this year’s provincial campaign,” Danny in Toronto wrote, for instance.
The quick reply is: sure! We’re hoping to launch our platform tracker characteristic early subsequent week.
One problem is that not one of the 4 main events have launched their full platforms but (seemingly a consequence of the snap election name).
However we’re doing our greatest to deliver you a primary model that will likely be up to date as we go.
Within the final provincial election, the PCs selected to not launch an official platform in any respect, and as an alternative pointed to their price range as their checklist of guarantees. Ford mentioned they don’t intend to launch a platform this time both, so we’ll have to depend on the autumn financial assertion (principally a mini-budget launched in October) and any new commitments that come up on the marketing campaign path.
Are you able to vote on-line?
No, you possibly can’t vote on-line in Ontario.
Possibility 1, when you’re nonetheless right here: head to an area election workplace to get a particular poll.
Possibility 2, when you’re not: apply to vote by mail as quickly as potential.
Debates are coming
The 4 main occasion leaders will likely be in North Bay subsequent Friday for the primary debate of the marketing campaign, targeted on points that matter most to Northern Ontarians.
Markus Schwabe, the host of CBC Radio’s Morning North, will average the talk and pose questions on behalf of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities.
