Doug Ford rides populist wave to victory in Ontario, Tories form majority
TORONTO — Doug Ford rode a populist wave to power in Ontario on Thursday, capturing a Progressive Conservative majority by harnessing voters’ economic anxiety and anger with a scandal-plagued Liberal government.
The Tory leader’s election promises were in stark contrast to the other left-leaning major parties and included income tax cuts, scrapping the Liberals’ updated sex-ed curriculum and strongly opposing a carbon tax.
Ford also rolled out several pledges designed with populist appeal in mind, from cutting gas prices by 10 cents a litre to introducing buck-a-beer to cutting hydro bills.
“A new day has dawned in Ontario — a day of opportunity, a day of prosperity and a day of growth,” he told a crowd chanting his name.