Brown-John: Doug Ford, where’s my $200 cheque?

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By: Lloyd Brown-John

Come on, Doug, you’re calling an election and I haven’t yet received my $200 bribe cheque.

Couldn’t you have had the $200 cheques sent out before you called an election? That way they would not take on any hint of a bribe during an election which may be, at least, inappropriate.

Doug, you’re calling an election you claim to receive a mandate to deal with the threat of tariffs and other challenges from America’s “open-mouth-spew-threats” president.

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Really, Doug! You needed a new mandate? Why do I feel a sense of flim-flam or hustle or snake-oil salesman in this call for we taxpayers to cover the significant cost of you seeking another mandate?

Doug, me lad, you already have a full mandate to do what is best for Ontario and its people and that mandate is good for another year or more. Do I detect a hint of pure self-serving opportunism in your election call?

After all, we were all impressed when you appeared in your Made in Canada $45 “Canada’s Not For Sale” hat. You looked good and we were impressed. Furthermore, we’ve been impressed by your tough talk about limiting hydro electricity to the U.S. if Trump follows through with his 25-per-cent tariff threat.

Canada’s entire history has been infused with preserving our identity and sovereignty in the face of often very aggressive American assaults and overtures.

John A. MacDonald vigorously pursued Confederation to stave off American threats. Americans, like the current presidential iteration, have historically threatened Canada and offered open designs upon this unique country.

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We have a long undefended border but that defenceless border is also perceived as a bit of an open-ended invitation to move America north.

Have often wondered how Quebec might respond to that American absorption-of-Canada inclination.

So, Doug, let’s all fight for Canada and let’s all take on the elephant in our chicken yard if need be with as much negotiating skill and tenacity as befits a proud and not readily intimidated country.

How about cutting off the Americans’ water? Say divert Niagara Falls so there is only one waterfall — the Canadian one. You need to be creative, Doug, when you’re dealing with a loose-cannon president

But did you need to call an election for that full-fledged mandate? You’ve already got the mandate, so the election must have another meaning, eh?

Calling an election to renew your mandate poses some possible challenges. Suppose that at the end of this election your Progressive Conservatives are returned to office with fewer seats than you now hold at Queen’s Park?

And suppose skepticism about your motives runs rampant across Ontario and the opposition parties end up with almost as many seats as your Tories? Will that still constitute a solid mandate for you to move ahead and respond effectively to America’s wingnut president and his tariffs?

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And suppose, Doug, the RCMP finally reveal what you and your cronies were doing with the GTA Greenbelt? Is there a little skulduggery that could cause you and your government problems and for which a new mandate might salvage your future?

Would that $200 dollars you are offering as a bribe have been better spent as increased support for health care or education in the province?

Interestingly, at the official opening of the new MRI facility in Leamington’s hospital all area Progressive Conservative MPPs were in attendance, along with the health minister. That new MRI still needs additional funding, Doug, and if you finally send me my $200 cheque I’ll pass it along to Erie Shores HealthCare’s MRI funding program.

We have three of your party’s MPPs here locally. MPP Trevor Jones (PC — Chatham-Kent—Leamington) has worked hard. Capable Andrew Dowie (PC — Windsor-Tecumseh) deserves re-election as he has been your local point person for appearances and money dispensing.

In any case, Doug, you really did not need a new mandate and we didn’t need an election.

Lloyd Brown-John is a University of Windsor professor emeritus of political science and director of Canterbury ElderCollege. He can be reached at [email protected].

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