‘Cuts, followed by more cuts’: Political expert weighs in on what’s next for Doug Ford
Posted June 6, 2022 3:48 pm.
Last Updated June 27, 2022 4:48 pm.
Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservatives won a second straight majority government last week, and the first order of business for the government will be to re-introduce the almost $200 billion budget that was tabled ahead of the election call.
But what else does the government have in store?
“I think we’re going get cuts, followed by more cuts,” said Nelson Wiseman, professor of political science at the University of Toronto, when asked what’s next for the newly-reelected Ford government.
It’s something Wiseman believes will be brought on by a worsening fiscal situation.
“I think whichever party would have gotten in would have been challenged in the environment that we will have in the coming year,” he said.
“I’m not predicting a recession or depression or anything like that, but it’s not going to be as good as it was, and there are already signs of that. You see it in the housing market, you see [it] with interest rates going up, you see with people complaining about what they’re paying for gasoline.”
On Thursday night, Ford talked about running “a more efficient government” in his acceptance speech. The following day, Ontario’s Premier doubled down on that promise.
“There are better ways of delivering services more efficiently at a lower cost, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Ford said.
“We’re going to make sure we respect the taxpayers’ money, and the money that we save can go right into health care and go right into education.”
Higher officer for Doug Ford?
Chris Cochrane, associate professor of political science at the University of Toronto, said Ford’s decisive win last week opened the door for him to run for higher office.
“If there is a Conservative leader chosen that flames out in the next [federal] election, then I think it’s possible that if he wanted to, Doug Ford would be an immediately competitive candidate for the Conservative leadership,” Cochrane said.
“And frankly, he might even have appeal across the country and likely be a successful Conservative candidate.”
What’s next for NDP and Liberals?
On the night that Ford won, the NDP’s Andrea Horwath and Liberals’ Steven Del Duca stepped down as leaders of their parties.
Cochrane said the most important thing is selecting new leaders who have the “credentials to govern and be taken seriously as a governing premier.”
He also said the next Liberal leader will have to “be able to connect with the kinds of voters that Liberals need to support them if there if they’re going to win.”
“The Conservatives have that now in Doug Ford,” Cochrane added.
But Wiseman said Ontarians shouldn’t expect leadership conventions anytime soon.
“Their challenge now is picking up the pieces, and they will want a long leadership race,” he said.
With files from CityNews staff
