A University of Windsor political science professor believes it is "politically advantageous" for Ontario Premier Doug Ford to call an early election.
Lydia Miljan told AM800's The Dan MacDonald Show that Ford knows he's up in the polls and that Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie and New Democrat Leader Marit Stiles really haven't captured people's imaginations.
Ford announced Friday that he will be calling an election on Wednesday, Jan. 29, in order to secure a mandate to fight against the threat of tariffs from the United States.
That election call would send Ontarians to the polls on Feb. 27, more than a year before the June 2026 fixed election date.
Miljan says that the tariff threat is important and something we need to take seriously.
"Personally, I think that the argument is a bit convenient for Mr. Ford to suggest that he needs a mandate to do so. He has a mandate; he still has over a year left in that mandate, and people are happy with him," she says.
Ford is using the threat of 25 per cent tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump to justify his early election call, saying the tariffs as proposed will affect all Ontario industries and families.
Ford, who already has a large majority government, says he needs a strong mandate in order to stop the tariffs.
Miljan says there is a potential this could backfire, but voters don't usually punish a government if they call an early election.
"I think that he's gambling that his attack ads against, especially against Bonnie Crombie, have been successful. She really hasn't had the same profile as him, and he's had this national profile recently with the Trump threats. He's in a good position," she says.
Miljan says the timing of this election could impact voter turnout because it's a very short campaign.
"We're going to have a provincial election before the {federal} Liberals select their leader, also in a truncated leadership race. So there's a lot going on in politics, so yeah, I think there is a high potential, both with weather and timing, that you could have exceptionally low voter turnout this time around," she says.
Ford also confirmed that he will be visiting the lieutenant-governor on Tuesday to dissolve the legislature and have the writs issued on Wednesday.
