As speculation looms over early Ontario election, here's how opposition leaders are gearing up
CBC
Here's what Ontario's three opposition leaders say is top of mind for them, as Ontario's legislature resumed this week after an extended summer break and as speculation about an early election continues to swirl.
Ontario's next official election isn't scheduled until 2026. But an array of announcements and remarks made by Premier Doug Ford in recent months — such as bringing alcohol to convenience stores, wanting to dig a tunnel under the 401 and a controversial measure to restrict where bike lanes are built — have political watchers believing he's gearing up for a campaign.
Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie, Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner and NDP Leader Marit Stiles sat down with Metro Morning host David Common and talked about their priorities and plans should an early election happen.
Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie said she's unsure when an election might happen, but she believes it depends on factors like when results from the RCMP investigation into the Greenbelt controversy come to light.
"I think this is a government running scared and wanting to get ahead of some of these scandals," the former Mississauga mayor said.
She believes that health care will be the top ballot issue in the next election.
"Our wait times have gone up 48 per cent since this government has taken office. Two thousand people each and every day are getting their treatment in a hallway or in an auditorium or in the doorway," she said.
The Green Party leader said he's prepared if an early election is called, and he believes housing will be the top issue. But he urged the premier to focus on problems Ontarians currently face rather than eyeing the next run to the polls.
"Put the people of Ontario ahead of your political self interest," he said.
Throughout the interview, he also outlined his own housing strategy, including legalizing fourplexes, adding protections for renters and building more affordable homes.
"We have young people leaving the province because they can't afford a home, a minimum wage worker cannot afford a one bedroom apartment in any city in the province," he said.
NDP leader Marit Stiles said she doesn't think Ontarians want to head to the polls early.
"I don't think anybody is looking for an expensive election before they have to have one," she said, adding that her party will be ready for a potential early run.
Stiles said she believes an array of issues will dominate the next election, including affordability, the need to build more homes and hiring more doctors, issues she says have predated the Ford government.
The new owner of Ontario steelmaker Stelco says his company "will not disappoint the people of Hamilton and Nanticoke," where the business's major facilities are based.
A Winnipegger is warning others about an intricate scam she says she almost fell for.
Fort William First Nation is opposing a planned redevelopment of the Ontario Power Generation's (OPG) 117 year old Kakabeka Falls Generating Station, which is located in their traditional territory.
A building that sits at the corner of Sussex Street and Brunswick Avenue has had many lives over the last century — being a church, a school and offices. Now it's set to become housing, at a time when the city sorely needs it.
A Waterloo, Ont., elementary school principal will be sentenced in the new year after pleading guilty to child sexual exploitation charges following a joint investigation that involved the London, Toronto and Waterloo police services.
Students at UPEI have let their student union know what they want from the province this fiscal year, and those priorities are reflected in a 2024-2025 advocacy document brought to the legislature on Wednesday.
Larger communities in the N.W.T. will soon see a boost in their territorial funding to maintain infrastructure and deliver services — like water and waste management — but the increase still falls short of what communities need.
The toxic drug crisis has taken more than 47,000 lives in Canada since 2016 and the synthetic opioid fentanyl has become a household name. But now, what's believed to be an even more potent class of synthetic drugs is showing up in drug busts across the country: nitazenes.
The Liberal government and the NDP have agreed to introduce a two-month GST vacation on certain items before the holiday season, Radio-Canada has learned.
Veterinarians are warning Londoners to make sure their dogs are vaccinated and keeping clean after a deadly virus outbreak was declared in London this week.
Registered nurses rallied in St. John's Wednesday as part of a week-long convention, again calling on the Newfoundland and Labrador government to create permanent solutions to staff shortages and workplace violence.