Liberals target Ford with ad blitz

Ontario’s governing Liberals are launching a $1-million attack-ad blitz on Doug Ford, using the rookie Progressive Conservative leader’s own words against him.

Starting Monday, the party will begin airing pre-election ads that target Ford for his policies and past pronouncements on autistic children, abortion and race.

One ad, that cites a 2014 CBC News report, is called “Doug Said,” and is the first in a planned series on Ford’s more controversial statements, which are being collected at a Liberal website called “Real Doug Ford.”

“Doug said, in response to a home for autistic kids that was built in his community: ‘It ruined the community. My heart goes out to kids with autism, but no one told me they’d be leaving the house. If it comes down to it, I’ll buy the house, myself, and resell it.’ ”

The tag-line is: “If we really listen to Doug Ford, he tells us exactly who he is.”

Ford’s spokesperson Melissa Lantsman said the governing party’s ads smack of desperation.

“The Liberals have taken so much from Ontario taxpayers that they have nothing left to offer other than fear and smear,” Lantsman said.

“We will keep campaigning for the people, and against Kathleen Wynne’s 15-year record of waste, corruption, abuse and mismanagement,” she said.