Doug Ford certainly isn't throwing cold water on all the rumours. Instead, the Premier is the one fuelling the early election speculation in Ontario.
Ford has suggested it will all depend on whether U.S. President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his threats to hit Canada hard with sweeping tariffs. Ford has publicly mused about whether he needs a fresh mandate from the electorate to spend "tens of billions" of dollars on a plan to counter the tariffs' impact on Ontario's economy.
One former Premier isn't buying it.
In a recent interview with our Inside the Village podcast, former Liberal leader Kathleen Wynne says Ford's early election chatter has nothing to do with tariffs. Instead, she says Ford wants to squeeze in an election before Pierre Poilievre has a chance to become prime minister — and before the RCMP finishes its investigation into the Greenbelt scandal.
POLL: Should Doug Ford call an early provincial election?
Ford currently leads a majority government and the next Ontario election is not scheduled until June 2026.
“If he goes ahead with an early election, it is purely political," Wynne says. "There is no governance rationale for that.”
You can watch her full interview HERE.
Hosted by Scott Sexsmith and Michael Friscolanti, the Editor-in-Chief of Village Media, Inside the Village is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms. Produced by Derek Turner, the program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province.
Every episode can be found HERE. If you prefer the audio version, it is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts.
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