Trump Dump: Ontario Edition! Aka Doug Ford General Thread

[Tribble]

For those who don't know, residents in Ontario recently elected our own version of the current US President... with the expected results. Doug Ford is working really hard at emulating Donald Trump. So much so that rather than posting a new topic every time he does something ridiculous, it's probably better if I just created a general thread. Judging from the way things are going now, we're probably going to need it.

So, what was Ford up to this weekend? Why, taking photos with known extreme white nationalists of course!

Doug Ford Stands Behind This Photo He Took With a Group of Extremely Racist White Nationalists
Far-right extremists are using their photo with Ford to legitimize hate

Ontario Premier Doug Ford will not disavow a group of white nationalists who took a photo with him over the weekend at “Ford Fest,” even as the white nationalists use the photo for propaganda purposes to legitimize their views.
Over the weekend, Ford appeared in a photo with a group of white nationalists led by fringe mayoral candidate Faith Goldy, a former Rebel Media contributor who was fired from the far-right website after she appeared on a neo-Nazi podcast.
Since leaving Rebel Media, Goldy has become a hero to the online alt-right, appearing in videos reciting a white supremacist creed and endorsing a book authored by a 1930s fascist author advocating “the elimination of Jews.”

Appearing alongside Goldy and Ford in the controversial photo are several volunteers on Goldy’s campaign.
One of Goldy’s volunteers is the host of an alt-right podcast who stated he supports white supremacist values in an episode published earlier this month. He is also affiliated with ID Canada, the Canadian branch of Generation Identity, described as a “neo-fascist” and “white nationalist” group operating in Europe that is working to establish a presence in North America.
The volunteer appeared in one of the group’s videos last month, which describes immigration as the “systematic replacement of the founding European people.”

Another Goldy volunteer is a British national who extensively shares alt-right media and promotes UKIP, a far-right party based in Britain. A third volunteer appears in the photo with Ford wearing a hat emblazoned with the logo of the Proud Boys, described by the Southern Poverty Law Centre as an “alt-right fight club” known to instigate riots and hold violent rallies.
But when Ford was asked to disavow Goldy and her alt-right entourage during Question Period on Monday, Ford refused to do so even though the photo is now being used online to suggest Ford is sympathetic to their cause.

“Faith Goldy, a far-right candidate for Toronto mayor with ties to neo-Nazi groups posted a picture on social media of the Premier posing for a picture with her and her supporters, to which she added ‘Faith Nation is Ford Nation’,” NDP MPP Jill Andrew told Queen’s Park.
“Will the Premier unequivocally denounce Faith Goldy and her hateful campaign,” she asked, adding Ford needs to speak out about the “photo that is now being used as a de facto endorsement.”
Ford did not answer the question, but claimed Ford Fest is “the most diverse group anywhere in Canada,” later bragging about large crowd sizes and line-ups that “couldn’t get in through the door.”

It’s highly unlikely Ford did not recognize the controversial mayoral candidate.
For a short while, both had gigs on the defunct Sun TV channel and they appeared together at a 2017 Rebel Media Live event – it’s also far from the first time the two have been photographed together:

Meanwhile, Goldy’s relationship with the neo-fascist ID Canada appears to run deeper than relying on the group for volunteers.
The Anti-Racist Canada Collective points out Goldy’s “official” online store appears to be selling t-shirts for $25 under a Shopify account that appears to be operated by the neo-fascist youth group.
The ARC Collective has documented how ownership and contact information contained on the online store’s terms of service and refund policy pages bear the names of ID Canada and an e-mail address connected to ID Canada’s website.
Shortly after ARC Collective published its findings, Goldy’s online store changed most references to ID Canada to “Dominion Productions,” a company which does not appear on Canada’s federal corporate registry.
Goldy’s online store does not restrict sales beyond Ontario’s borders. It also does not indicate whether proceeds from t-shirt sales are considered a contribution to her campaign or if revenue is being funnelled to ID Canada itself.
Despite the name change and attempt to scrub its record, the name of ID Canada still appears hiding in the fine print of Goldy’s “official” online store.

According to campaign finance guidelines posted by Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, campaigns are permitted to sell goods and services without being considered a campaign contribution so long as it is “sold for $25 or less.”
The Ministry even offers the example of campaigns selling t-shirts “for $25 each.” They explain that the profit on the sale is not considered a campaign contribution if it is under $25, but “the shirts must be recorded as a campaign expense.”
The Ministry did not immediately respond to questions from PressProgress about an unregistered third party selling t-shirts on behalf of a candidate.
In a Facebook post last month endorsing Goldy’s campaign for mayor, ID Canada encouraged its supporters to “order yourself an official t-shirt” through the same “official” online store ID Canada was operating.

https://pressprogress.ca/doug-ford-stan ... ionalists/

Quick version: at a rally for his alt-right supporters, Ford takes a photo with an extreme white nationalist (whom he almost certainly recognises, given that the two of them have met before). When asked to denounce the extreme white nationalist, he declines.

Our Premier of Ontario, ladies and gentlemen.

[Tribble]

*Sigh* and later today:

Ford urged to sell Crown corporations like LCBO
Report says government businesses could be 'monetized' to bring in cash

A review of spending commissioned by Premier Doug Ford is encouraging him to sell Crown corporations, including the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, to bring short-term cash into provincial coffers.
The review says the government should maximize the value of provincial assets, including considering "divestiture" if the business case warrants.

"Ontario currently holds assets that could be monetized to generate a one-time cash payout by selling all or a portion of GBEs (government business enterprises) and/or owned real estate," the report says. It was conducted by the auditing firm EY Canada.

The three Crown corporations that the province classifies as "government businesses enterprises" are the LCBO, Ontario Power Generation and Ontario Lottery and Gaming.
"Taking decisive action is the only way forward to put Ontario on a sustainable fiscal footing," says the report. "Such opportunities should not result in involuntary job losses, and instead focus on efficiency and effectiveness improvements."
The review was released Tuesday by Ford's cabinet minister Peter Bethlenfalvy, president of the Treasury Board.
Bethlenfalvy is neither committing to acting on any of the report's recommendations, nor is he ruling any of them out.

"The range of ideas that they put on the table is pretty comprehensive," he told a news conference on Tuesday. "We'll move quickly to look at the options and have a path forward."
The report comes on the heels of the Ford government's announcement that the deficit in the current fiscal year, under terms of the Liberal budget tabled before the election, is on track to be as much as $15 billion. Ford is also creating a legislative committee to investigate the deficit, which he calls "the worst political scandal in the history of Ontario."
The Ford government commissioned the review and billed it as an "unprecedented line-by-line audit" of government spending. But the firm itself says its report was not actually an audit.

The report also urges the government to reconsider the universality of social programs.
"There are a number of benefit programs that are currently applied without any means testing, which could shift to a means-tested eligibility formula where ability to pay is the threshold," says the report.
"This is about modernizing and transforming the way government does business," said Bethlenfalvy. "This is not about job cuts. We respect and value the work that the front-lines do."

Sara Singh, deputy leader of the Ontario NDP, expressed concern with privatizing public assets. (CBC)
Ford promised during the election campaign that no public-sector workers would lose their jobs under his government. He did not, however, rule out privatization of provincial agencies.
The review warns that selling off money-making Crown corporations would have a long-term impact on revenue.
"It is important to understand that the trade-off is foregoing future income," says the report. "Robust business cases firmly rooted in evidence are required before proceeding."

The previous Liberal government privatized Hydro One in 2015, following a recommendation by then-premier Kathleen Wynne's handpicked business adviser, Ed Clark.
With Tuesday's report, the PCs are setting the stage for more privatization, said the NDP deputy leader Sara Singh.
"While we can look for efficiencies within the public sector, I think we need to acknowledge that the private sector isn't always the most efficient option," Singh told reporters at Queen's Park.
"We can look to Hydro One as an example of what happens when those public assets are sold off."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ ... -1.4837471

Hand-picked auditor: In my totally unbiased opinion I think we should sell as many government assets as possible, including ones that generate billions in revenue, for a short-term cash-grab.
Ford: Go on...
Hand-picked auditor: ...while cutting social programs, naturally. No free-loaders allowed.
Ford: ...And?
Hand-picked auditor: …and blaming the Liberals for all of it?
Ford: Great job! That's just the kind of opinion I needed to hear! Now here's your cookie!


Thank God he's not PM... yet.


Can you imagine what Trump would do with this kind of power?

[The Romulan Republic]

If Ford is ever in the PM's office with a majority government, Canada will be a dictatorship until he is removed.

[Tribble]

Let the cuts begin! $305 million less for education!

Doug Ford government cancels funding for three new GTA university campuses

Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government is cancelling funding for three university campuses in the Toronto area, blaming the province’s poor finances.
Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, said the government is no longer in a position to fund the three satellite campuses in Markham, Milton and Brampton owing to the province’s “new fiscal restraints.”
The campuses were set to open in 2021 and 2022 and serve a total of 8,000 students.

Ms. Fullerton cited a review of the province’s finances that found the deficit has more than doubled to $15-billion this year. During the provincial election campaign, Doug Ford, now Premier, also promised a line-by-line audit of government spending.
“Our government committed to restore accountability and trust in Ontario’s finances. This includes making difficult decisions about projects across the province,” Ms. Fullerton said in a news release issued late on Tuesday.

The cuts total around $305-million in funding promised by the previous Liberal government. A spokeswoman for Ms. Fullerton blamed the Liberals for making “empty promises” and said the ministry is working with the institutions to understand what has been completed “and if there are termination or reasonable wind-down costs.”
“Our government would be willing to consider a business case for how these projects may proceed in the absence of provincial capital funding,” spokeswoman Stephanie Rae said.
NDP leader Andrea Horwath called the decision “callous” and said it’s a major blow to job creation and economic opportunity in the regions.
“Scrapping these campuses now is shameful and will undercut the futures of thousands of students. It is not only a waste of the time and money already invested, but a waste of the valuable opportunity we have to expand Ontario’s capacity for research, innovation and excellence in a number of fields,” she said in a statement Tuesday.
Patrick Brown, the former PC leader who was elected Monday as Brampton’s mayor, said the decision is a step backward for the city.

“The previously funded satellite campus was the bare minimum the province could do to provide help and opportunities to young people in Brampton. Cancelling the bare minimum investment into postsecondary education is very disappointing,” he said in an e-mail.
“I hope the PC MPPs in Markham, Milton and Brampton will stand up for the communities and speak to the minister.”
The campuses were announced by the previous government as partnerships with Ontario universities and colleges.
The Markham campus was part of York University in partnership with Seneca College; the Milton campus was part of Wilfrid Laurier University in partnership with Conestoga College; and the Brampton campus was part of Ryerson University in partnership with Sheridan College.
In a joint statement, Rhonda Lenton, president and vice-chancellor at York University, and David Agnew, president at Seneca, said the provincial government informed them of its “unexpected decision” late on Tuesday.
They said the project was approved by the previous government in 2015, which promised $127-million in funding, and “triggered the start of the extensive work that has taken place since then to develop the programs, partnerships and building design.” Ms. Lenton and Mr. Agnew said the $252-million campus project “is already well under way," with the design and development-planning phase completed. “The procurement process to secure a construction firm is nearing completion and construction was set to begin later this fall,” they said.

“We are committed to working with all involved to determine if there is a path forward that will still meet the postsecondary education needs of York Region and its residents,” they said.
Wilfrid Laurier University said it was “deeply disappointed” in the decision.
“Wilfrid Laurier University appreciates the financial challenges facing the Ontario government, but we are deeply disappointed by the sudden news to cancel the university’s new campus in Milton,” spokesman Kevin Crowley said. “Laurier has worked with the Town of Milton and numerous community partners since 2008 to bring the benefits of postsecondary education to this fast-growing community.” He added that the university will continue to work with Milton and partners “to explore all options for keeping the dream of postsecondary education alive in this vibrant community.”
Spokespeople for Ryerson University did not respond to a request for comment.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/ ... niversity/

So yes to dollar a beer, no to university campuses.

What's interesting is that 2/3 expansions were in ridings which voted solidly conservative. I'd say some might be having second thoughts, but I imagine a lot of conservatives are happy that their tax dollars aren't wasted on things like education, since it only breeds more liberals etc.

Guess Markham is going to have to remove all those signs everywhere going on about how great the place is now that York U is was building a new campus.