OTTAWA ¨C Doug Ford, whose populist message of smaller government and tax cuts drew comparisons to Donald Trump, will be the next premier of Canada¡¯s most populous province and economic engine.
Ford¡¯s Progressive Conservatives were poised to win about 74 of Ontario¡¯s 124 districts in Thursday¡¯s election, according to unofficial results and projections from three television networks. Ford¡¯s decisive win ends 15 years of Liberal Party rule, and his majority government will be able to run the province without the support of another party.
Ford, 53, a former city councilor and brother of the late Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, ran on a ¡°For the People¡± platform of tax cuts for businesses and the middle class, along with lower prices for gasoline and electricity. While the tax cuts, a pledge to reduce government ¡°waste,¡± and his plain-spoken tone evoked elements of Trump, there are key differences: Immigration played virtually no role in the campaign, and first- and second-generation Canadians are core supporters of the Ford family¡¯s campaigns.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.