Premier Doug Ford can expect the scrutiny he deserves

The weather forecast for today is partly sunny, partly cloudy and warmer than some of our recent unseasonably cool temperatures.

In other words, the sun will come up, regardless of what many feel is a troubling outcome in this election. It hasn’t been pretty. Veteran observers are calling this the ugliest election they’ve seen — so far.

Some of the nastiest moments were courtesy of the Doug Ford campaign. But while Ford set the tone, the other two main parties quickly followed suit, with the NDP calling the Liberals “corrupt” and the Liberals returning fire. We had cries of “Lock her up,” with Ford initially condoning such behaviour and only repudiating it under pressure from his opponents and the media. We had NDP candidates hurting their party’s cause through stupid past social media behaviour. There were repeated reports of membership corruption and fakery in the PC party. There was the lawsuit launched against Ford by the widow of his own brother. There was even a PC candidate who got into a physical altercation with a Grade 7 student. He later apologized.

Thankfully, it’s over. Ontarians clearly wanted change, and change is what they’re getting. But will it be change for the better? Regardless, Ontarians voted, and the people are never wrong.

Let’s recap what we should watch for.

Ford pledges to scrap Ontario’s cap-and-trade system. He will run directly afoul of the federal government on that, which has said provinces that don’t do the work themselves will have it imposed. Ford promises a court battle. Legal experts predict he’ll lose.

Ford promises to cut gas prices by 10 cents per litre. How soon? How will he replace the revenue loss of $1.19 billion annually?

He promises to eliminate provincial income tax for people earning minimum wage, and lower provincial income tax by 20 per cent for people who earn between $42,960 and $85,923.

That promise alone will cost the government nearly $2.3 billion per year in lost revenue.

Ford says he’ll lower hydro bills by 12 per cent. How will he lower rates when those rates are not under government control?

Ford also pledges to expand GO Transit to Kitchener, complete the expansion of GO into Niagara and support regional transit in Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener Waterloo, London, Mississauga and Brampton.

More lost revenue here. Ford pledges to lower business taxes from 11.5 per cent to 10.5 per cent. The move would cost the government $1.3 billion per year starting in the second year of his term.

Ford says he would create 15,000 new long-term care beds over the next five years and 30,000 over 10 years. The Tories say this will cost the government $62,000 per bed, per year, once each bed is in use. That’s another $1.7 billion annually.

You can see the theme here. How will Ford finance all these promises, which add up to between $7 billion and $8 billion a year? And how will he spend all that when he is also promising to cut $6 billion from overall spending? Doug Ford won the election with bumpersticker promises and minimal substance. Now he’s going to have to turn those slogans into reality. Ontarians will be watching closely.

Doug Ford won the election with bumper-sticker promises and minimal substance. Now he’s going to have to turn those slogans into reality. Ontarians will be watching closely.