Premier Doug Ford does not need a new, strong mandate from Ontario voters.
He does not need to call a provincial election to have this mandate — to respond to the economic fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump’s pending imposition of a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods crossing the border.
The big, bad wolf may be at Canada’s door, but that’s no reason for Ford to play politics.
Ontario’s premier and his Progressive Conservative government already have their strong mandate from the people.
They got it in June 2022, a large majority government, and need not go back to voters until the spring of 2026.
That’s four years, and four years is the term of office in this province unless the government falls, which is unlikely with Ford and company.
What Ontario needs right now is a premier who is working full-time, and full-tilt, to counteract the Trump threat.
Whether that’s working with Ottawa or the other premiers, talking about taking American booze off Ontario liquor store shelves, going on American television, telling Trump to back off on his tariff threat, talking about Canadian counter-tariffs on American goods, pointing out that tariffs are contrary to the North American Free Trade Act with Mexico, etc.
This is the sort of thing Ford needs to be doing, and is, at least until this point.
He does not need the distraction of slinging mud toward Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie, pointing out that she’s friends with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who the Liberals have basically forced out, pending a party leadership race.
Or that Crombie has a history of raising taxes, while the Conservatives are giving almost every man and woman in Ontario $200, and the cheques are in the mail (but there seems very little mention of this $3-billion cost, and the $6.6-billion deficit the PCs are running up).
Or taking advantage of the federal Liberals' unpopularity (see Trudeau) just in time for a spring vote.
Or taking aim at the next federal Liberal leader, whoever he or she might be.
If Ford calls an Ontario election, and reports from last night indicate this could happen as early as next week, the premier’s focus will shift.
It’s been said here before that our politicians have two priorities — getting elected and staying elected. Everything they do flows from these two goals, and Ford is no different.
He will go from (figuratively) pounding his fist on podiums, railing against the Trump tariffs, to the campaign trail with its bus stops and sound bites to get the Tory vote out for yet another majority, if an election is called.
There are no guarantees in politics, of course.
If the 25 per cent tariffs come, and the economics are bad for everyday Ontarians, voters could blame Ford and take it out on him on election day. Stranger things have happened.
Or it could be a minority Conservative government and Ford might find himself in a position he’s ill-equipped to handle — having to get along with the Liberals and New Democrats.
How much gets done then? What kind of mandate would the Tories then have in Ontario?
What Ontarians should want is to have Ford at the helm, leading Canada’s largest province, while this trade war rumbles along to an unknown conclusion. Not playing politics.
The coming days will show where Doug Ford’s priorities really lie.
Bob Bruton covers city hall for BarrieToday. He expects elected officials to govern, not play politics so they can get re-elected.