How Ontario's party leaders defined themselves and their opponents on day 1 of campaign
Ford appears to be campaigning against Trump, not his provincial opponents, says expert
As party leaders launched their election campaigns with prepared speeches Wednesday, NDP Leader Marit Stiles was ready with lengthy criticisms of her opponents on the ballot, while the only politician Doug Ford mentioned outside his party was U.S. President Donald Trump.
At three concurrent campaign launch events Wednesday morning, the leaders had a chance to define themselves, their campaigns and their opponents.
With the Progressive Conservatives taking the top spot in many polls, Ford continued to present himself as the person best suited to, as his campaign slogan says, "protect Ontario" from the American tariff threats. While Stiles tried to convince Liberal voters the NDP should be the home for their votes, not Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie's party.
"[Ford's] not really running against Marit Stiles or Bonnie Crombie. He's running against Donald Trump," said Lydia Miljan, head of the political science department at the University of Windsor. "He's filling the vacuum left by the lack of leadership on the federal level. So he knows that that's his winning hand."
The PC leader's prepared remarks focused on unity and strength.
"You may not always agree with me, and that's OK. But my record is clear. When times are tough, I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe," Ford said with his back to the border in Windsor, Ont.
"Ontario won't start a fight with the U.S., but you better believe we'll be ready to win one."
Stiles takes aim at Crombie
Stiles was prepared to meet Ford on his level Wednesday, promising an income protection program for those impacted by potential American tariffs.
She also pitched herself as a strong deal maker after Ford said last week it would be a "disaster" to have Stiles or Crombie negotiate with Trump. (Ford said Wednesday he has not yet been able to secure a meeting with the president himself.)
While the PCs have spent months defining Crombie through a series of pre-election attack ads, Stiles pitched herself as the alternative to Ford in the election — taking swipes at Crombie while doing so.
During her prepared remarks at the NDP campaign launch in Toronto's Regent Park neighbourhood, Stiles said she liked some of the things past Liberal governments had done in Ontario.
"Good things that speak to the values that I think we do share. But those are not the values of the current leader of the Ontario Liberal Party," Stiles said. "Today's Liberal leader would be right at home as a cabinet minister in Doug Ford's government."
Miljan said Crombie has tried to pitch herself as someone with the business acumen to take the Liberals closer to the centre of the political spectrum. She says Stiles is trying to frame that as her being more conservative than liberal.
"That way she can sort of stake out as much territory as possible on the left of the political spectrum," Miljan said. "She wants to pull votes away from the Liberals."
Crombie keeps focus on Ford, Schreiner pitches candidates
Crombie kept her focus on Ford in prepared remarks she delivered at her campaign launch in Barrie, remarks that focused on healthcare issues over American tariff threats.
Since before the campaign kicked off, Crombie has been pitching herself as a different kind of Liberal.
After her speech, Crombie was asked why Ontarians should vote for her party instead of the NDP.
She said in the party's recent capacity as the official opposition, the NDP didn't hold the government to account on critical issues like healthcare and housing.
Responding to a question about Stiles's comments, Crombie didn't provide specific criticism of her New Democrat counterpart.
"I'm very fiscally responsible, but I'm very socially progressive. And I'm here because I think I have the skill set that can solve the issues that matter to Ontarians," she said.
As the leaders pitch themselves to the province, Green Party leader Mike Schreiner took a different approach when speaking to reporters at Queen's Park Wednesday.
"We're running a strong slate of candidates in every riding in this province," Schreiner said. "People who are committed to being local champions and advocates for their riding at Queen's Park, not their leader's voice in the riding."
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