Ford slams NDP during Niagara stop
Fully costed PC platform won’t be released until campaign ends
Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford slammed the leading New Democrats for reckless spending, while also promising tax breaks and programs offering “real relief for the vulnerable people” in need.
Despite attacking the NDP for a costing error in its election platform, Ford has yet to explain how his own party intends to pay for its campaign promises.
Ford made a campaign stop at Portal Village Retirement Home in Port Colborne, Tuesday, where he vowed to put money “back in the pocket of those who need it most.”
But asked repeatedly when the party’s fully costed election platform would be publicly released, Ford said that information won’t be released until the end of the campaign.
“We have a plan. We’ve put a price tag beside every single item,” he said.
“By the end of this campaign we will have a fully costed platform, unlike the NDP.
“The NDP has had two years to figure out their plan, and just a couple weeks ago they thought, ‘Boy, we made a mistake’ … How do you make a $7-billion mistake on your own budget? How do you expect people to trust you running the government when you can’t even do your own math,” he said, referring to an error in the NDP’s platform made as a result of misidentifying a $700-million reserve fund as government revenue.
It was Ford’s second visit to a riding that has consistently voted for the NDP since 1975, and he dedicated much of his time at the podium slamming the party that has surged past the PCs in recent election polls.
“Of course we know what the Liberal record is, but if you thought the Liberals were bad the NDP would be 10 times worse. Andrea Horwath is running on a platform that doesn’t add up,” he said.
“My friends, make no mistake, the money is coming out of your wallet. And it’s the most vulnerable people that pay — seniors, low-income families, working parents, people who depend on government services that will be jeopardized, or whose job will be threatened by a radical NDP platform that is far outside the mainstream.”
Although Ford was scolded by one of a few dozen retirement home residents for being at least 15 minutes late, his tardiness wasn’t enough to change their minds about voting for him.
“Politicians generally are (late),” quipped Don Horsburgh, 93.
Horsburgh said he has almost always voted PC and plans to do so again on June 7, trusting Ford to deliver on promises he has made.
“What can they do but promise? Whether you can follow through on it all the time, it’s not possible,” Horsburgh said.
Walter Doornekamp, 89, said he, too, will vote PC, although he does have one lingering concern.
“The only thing right now that he’s going to have problems with is rent control, because he’s against rent control,” Doornekamp said.
Although the Conservatives have officially said the party would maintain the status quo with respect to existing rent controls, Ford has previously responded to questions on the topic saying he prefers to allow the market to dictate.