Hmmm, is there a more embarrassing public spectacle than the crash and burn of Doug Ford?
Contrary to what you might think, I am reluctant to post about Doug Ford and in any way contribute to his Hey, look at me, I’m the best thing that ever happened to Ontario nursery rhymes. But he keeps getting under my skin and forcing me to vent.
Ford’s public communications in the last year have been mostly about damage control and are desperate attempts to reverse the downward spiral of his ill-fated government. He loves being in front of the camera but digs himself into a deeper hole every time he opens his mouth.
His latest political defeat is being forced to repeal Bill 124 that capped salary increases to one per cent per year for broader public sector workers including teachers and nurses. The Court of Appeal ruled it unconstitutional as we all expected. This embarrassment piles on top of his other fiascos and political reversals:
The Greenbelt Scandal, the stench of which is still clinging to him, and the reversed course on changes to municipal official plans and regional boundary expansions.
Backing away from the proposed Dissolution of Peel Region which would have left Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon as independent cities.
Throwing in the towel on the law that imposed a contract on education workers and banned them from striking using the notwithstanding clause to guard against constitutional challenges.
Ford’s latest attempt to garner public favour is this week’s announcement of legislation that would in theory require any future Ontario government to hold a referendum before introducing a provincial carbon tax. This misguided political volley is so transparent it is laughable.
What is abundantly clear is that Doug Ford is desperately worried about new Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie who is championing the revival of the provincial Liberal party. He has dubbed her the queen of the carbon tax – a juvenile attempt at a slight that Crombie is laughing off.
Fully two years in advance of the next Ontario election, the Ford government is running attack ads aimed at Crombie. Crombie is laughing in his face as she appropriately dubs him Desperate Doug. The Ford Government is also spending our money on a Look what a good job we are doing on the Ontario economy advertising campaign.
Doug: None of us our buying into your rhetoric any longer. Many of us never did. Stop spending our money to try and put a positive spin on your fall from grace.
Where Doug Ford is concerned, we are witnessing the spectacular implosion of a political career. Every move he makes to try and salvage some respect falls flatter than the one before. Several members of his government jumped ship in the Greenbelt Scandal. I expect that others are plotting their escape as we speak.
Adding fuel to the fire is used to describe those who make a bad situation worse. It fits Doug Ford like a glove as he stumbles and fumbles his way through the demise of his political career.
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Tags: Bonnie Crombie · Desperate Doug · Doug Ford · metaphor · Michael Robert DyetNo Comments