Ford talks auto industry, green steel in Hamilton to entice blue-collar workers, unions
CBC
Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford rolled into NDP Leader Andrea Horwath's home turf of Hamilton in an attempt to persuade blue-collar workers to vote for him on June 2.
"The workers and the trade unions at one time used to support the NDP. They've given up on it and I'll tell you the reason why — she's anti-building anything," Ford told reporters Wednesday in the city's industrial sector by the shipyards.
Ford announced support he's receiving from the Sheet Metal Workers' International Association and the Ontario Pipe Trades Council, which represent thousands of labourers. Previously, he announced support from other unions, including the Laborers' International Union of North America (LiUNA).
But the NDP, which kicked off its campaign in Hamilton late last month, still has fierce backing from some of the province's largest unions, including Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), which represents 180,000 workers, and the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL), which has over a million members.
The party also has the same target as the PCs and the Liberals to build 1.5 million new homes in 10 years, as recommended by a government-commissioned task force report earlier this year.
Ford's visit Wednesday to Hamilton — historically and still an NDP stronghold — with just two weeks left in the campaign is an attempt to try to stifle the New Democrats and the Liberals, according to Peter Graefe, an associate professor in the political science department at McMaster University.
"In this election, the weakness of the Liberals means that Liberal-linked unions, especially in the construction trades, are up for grabs," Graefe wrote CBC in an email.
"I think this is both an offensive move to try and grow the Conservative coalition and a defensive one, by trying to reduce the NDP's ability to make a late-campaign play for these votes."
The PCs also have some well-known candidates in a few Hamilton-area ridings, including incumbent Donna Skelly in Flamborough—Glanbrook, Fred Bennink in Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, and Neil Lumsden in Hamilton East—Stoney Creek.
Hamilton East—Stoney Creek is a particularly interesting riding as the incumbent is Paul Miller, who is now running as an Independent after being ousted from the NDP in March because of what the party said was a "pattern of troubling behaviour."
It leaves the future of that riding, where Hamilton Coun. Jason Farr has now thrown his hat in the ring for the Liberals, uncertain.
Despite not being with the NDP, Miller has maintained the support of United Steel Workers Local 1005.
Local 1005, which represents hundreds of Stelco workers and pensioners, posted on its website Wednesday that they will continue to back Miller as an Independent, and not the NDP candidate.
On Saturday, the NDP's new candidate, Zaigham Butt, will be joined by the party's federal leader, Jagmeet Singh, in Stoney Creek.
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