TORONTO - Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford is defending simultaneously wearing two hats, campaigning in a snap election he called and taking anti-tariff actions as premier.
The other major political parties say this is the worst time for Ontario to find itself in an election, with U.S. President Donald Trump's threatened 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods set to take effect Tuesday.
At an election announcement today, Ford bristled at a question suggesting he couldn't take all the necessary actions to protect Ontario in the middle of a campaign, noting that he had directed the Liquor Control Board of Ontario to take American products off shelves.
Ford has announced, as PC leader, that a re-elected Tory government would significantly expand the Skills Development Fund for training and employment programs as well as infrastructure spending, as part of a stimulus package.
Ford, as premier last week, said that cabinet had discussed an economic action plan to respond to tariffs, with his staff saying the plan hadn't been approved by cabinet and therefore wouldn't be implemented during the campaign.
Today he said that if any emergencies happen, he will reconvene cabinet.