Doug Ford declines to participate in Black Community Provincial Leaders Debate
All other provincial leaders have said yes to April 11 debate
Ontario PC Leader Doug Ford will not be participating in a provincial leaders' debate organized by the black community scheduled for April 11, CBC Toronto has learned.
"Doug Ford has been meeting with Ontarians of every background and listening to their concerns," the statement reads. "Doug Ford will be a Premier for all Ontarians and will bring relief to families, including those in the black community."
Debate organizers have already secured the participation of all the other provincial leaders, including Premier Kathleen Wynne, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner.
Multiple attempts to reach Ford
Velma Morgan, interim chair of Operation Black Vote Canada, organized the debate with nine other black community groups and told CBC News that there were multiple attempts to reach out to Ford.
The group received a response on March 23 saying Ford would not be able to participate , but only heard last Saturday that Ford would be in northern Ontario on the date of the event.
"We invited all the leaders to discuss the concerns of the Black community. We're disappointed that one of the leaders won't be there," Morgan said. "We're missing out because Doug Ford could be the premier of the province."
With files from Mike Crawley