A weekend with Ford Nation
Chatter on the convention floor
Paid subscribers got this dispatch earlier this week. Don’t play catch-up — join the club and get the most-read newsletter at Queen’s Park straight to your inbox:
ABOVE THE FOLD
I spent Saturday evening trawling for juicy tidbits at the PC convention in Etobicoke, after the party did a one-eighty on its media ban and allowed reporters in the room to cover Premier DOUG FORD’s big dinner speech. Highlights:
The upshot: Ford’s speech rattled off the PCs greatest hints after eight years in power, including winning a third straight majority mandate almost a year ago. The Premier got a standing ovation when he said he’s gunning for a fourth term, and looking forward to winning “ a historic, fourth majority mandate.” That should kill the chatter about potential challengers, including within Ford’s own cabinet.
His speech was just barely interrupted by a handful of protesters shouting about Grassy Narrows, who were promptly escorted out by the Premier’s OPP detail. Ford didn’t skip a beat. The moment.
What they said on the convention floor: PHILIP SWEETNAM, a longtime card-carrying PC who travelled from Carp, told me he likes Ford because he “supports businesses.” That biz-minded approach also happens to be the same reason Sweetnam says he supports Liberal Prime Minister MARK CARNEY, effectively offering a real-life example of the Underhill theory — Ontarians tend to elect partisan opposites on the Hill and at Queen’s Park.
Polling peek: War room heavyweights like campaign manager KORY TENEYCKE, longtime strategist TAUSHA MICHAUD and party pollster NICK KOUVALIS weighed in on internal polling, among other things, during their panel. By the numbers: the PCs are sitting pretty at 45 per cent, the Liberals are second with 26 per cent, the NDP is not far behind with 20 per cent, while the Greens have 6 per cent support. Another 3 per cent support alternative parties.
Party brass: The executive council, which oversees all party operations such as candidate nominations and fundraising, got a refresh on Sunday. Returning party president MICHAEL DIAMOND’s slate was unopposed, so it was more of a coronation than an election, including for the folks I mentioned last week. Who’s in:
CHRIS LORETO, 1st Vice-President
JAY DAVISON, 2nd VP
ZOHAIB MALHI, 3rd VP
NICO FIDANI, 4th VP (Yes, the former Ford staffer who broke lobbying rules)
STEPHANIE DELORME, 5th VP
JORDAN ANGUS, 6th VP (previously president of the party’s youth wing)
SUKHMAN SANGHA, 7th VP
EMILY MORPHET, 8th VP (Morphet is also chief of staff to Indigenous Affairs Minister GREG RICKFORD)
STEPHANIE FORD, 9th VP (Ford is an intern to Solicitor General MICHAEL KERZNER and the Premier’s niece)
HUNTER CORCORAN, Secretary
TONY JOOSSE, Treasurer
Regional VPs:
ROB ELLIOTT, Centre West (an ex-candidate)
IAN CHAPELLE, Centre East (Chapelle is a senior policy adviser to Emergency Preparedness Minister JILL DUNLOP)
ELIO GATTO, GTA West
ANETES ANTON, GTA East (also D-Comms to Associate Mental Health Minister VIJAY THANIGASALAM)
MARTIN PROULX, North East
KAREN BITTNER, North West
ROBERT DEKKER, Ottawa
TONY FRANCIS, South West
JOHN DEMIK, South Central (another failed 2025 candidate)
ALEX MILLS, Toronto (Mills is also stakeholder and community relations adviser to Tourism Minister STAN CHO)
PC Women in Politics president: BETH ALLISON (also a former candidate)…Youth PC prez: BRUCE YU.
Measuring up: Being held on the same weekend as PIERRE POILIEVRE’s leadership review and the Conservative Party of Canada’s convention in Calgary meant the comparisons were inevitable. Sure, the provincial affair was always going to be more low-key — Ford won his election and wasn’t facing a high-stakes leadership vote — but the contrasts were impossible to ignore.
The provincial PCs rallied 1,000 delegates, while the federal Tories reportedly pulled in more than 2,500 (one federal insider called the latter “Winter Stampede”). Poilievre didn’t specifically mention DONALD TRUMP, whereas Ford name-checked the U.S. President multiple times, harking back to the Captain Canada shtick that worked for him during last February’s snap election. Poilievre’s speech clocked in at over 45 minutes; Ford spoke for about 15. Ford seemed relatively subdued during his remarks — he didn’t do his usual walk through the crowd to high-five and take selfies with members (at least during the portions when media were allowed in the room). Poilievre glad-handed his way on and off stage.
Also out West: Ex-PC MPP CHRISTINA MITAS was elected president of the CPC, becoming the first woman in the role. Small world: Mitas also worked for Diamond’s public affairs firm Upstream, and the pair are still close.
The shade: Liberal MPP ADIL SHAMJI, who was on hand as a non-member observer, later told reporters Ford was “uninspiring and deflated,” and suggested that he’s going for a fourth term because Poilievre scored a high 87.4 per cent in his leadership review.
Shamji, who’s rumoured to be mounting a provincial Liberal leadership bid (again), made a crack about the main course: “Dinner comes with plenty of gravy.” Pic.
Media did not get a meal, but it could have been worse — like in 2020, when security accosted the CBC’s MIKE CRAWLEY during a live hit…
HAPPENING TODAY
8:07 a.m.: WIARTON WILLIE, Ontario’s clairvoyant groundhog, makes his winter weather prediction.
10 a.m.: Energy Minister STEPHEN LECCE is making an announcement in Clarington. Also on hand: Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries SAM OOSTERHOFF and Lecce’s Parliamentary Assistants RUDY CUZZETTO and DAVID SMITH.
11 a.m.: NDP MPP JESSICA BELL is holding a press conference at the College Street United Church alongside parents and the Elementary Teachers of Toronto to raise the alarm about the Ford government’s move to scrap the Toronto District School Board class size cap for Grades 4 to 8. Pre-game read.
HOT HECKLES — 11 a.m.: Speaker DONNA SKELLY is launching Question Period Rewind, a new series that brings back memorable moments dating as far back as 1986. Get your legislative debate fix starting this morning on the Legislature’s TV feed. Tune in.
FUNDRAISING WATCH — 5:30 p.m.: The PCs are putting on a $1,000-a-plate fundraiser in Toronto. There’s no ministerial lineup posted, which in the past has meant DOUG FORD could make a cameo.
— 5:30 p.m.: Liberal MPP and wannabe provincial leader ROB CERJANEC is headlining a fundraiser at Symposium Cafe Restaurant in Barrie. Tickets go for $115 a pop.
7 p.m.: Meanwhile, another likely leadership contender LEE FAIRCLOUGH, and her bench mate TED HSU, who is definitely not running, are hosting a (free) event at Boston Pizza in Kingston.
7 p.m.: Green Leader MIKE SCHREINER will address the founding meeting of the GPO’s Perth Wellington Constituency Association. They’ll also elect a riding association executive. Primer.
ON THE COMMITTEE CIRCUIT — Tumbleweeds. There’s no hearings on this week’s schedule.
CLIPPINGS
— DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS: The fine print for Live Nation’s lease at Ontario Place is under fire not for what’s in it, but for what’s not in it: “The provisions that aren’t in the lease are drawing the most attention from critics, however, particularly in comparison to the perks offered to the venue’s future neighbour, a mega-spa and waterpark operated by Therme.” CTV News has the scoop.
— CHUGGING ALONG: “Transportation Minister PRABMEET SARKARIA was in North Bay on Friday morning to highlight efforts being made to improve highways and the passenger rail system. Sarkaria announced that $100 million is being set aside for rail infrastructure upgrades to the Northlander passenger rail train.” CTV News has the details.
— ALL-STAR CHAMPIONS: “From competing to campaigning: Athletes-turned-MPPs reflect ahead of the Olympics.” Fun read from the Canadian Press.
Go deeper: Catch up on my earlier interviews with ex-Olympic rower, now MPP for Simcoe-Grey BRIAN SAUNDERSON, and with kickboxing and karate champ, Independent Haldimand-Norfolk rep BOBBI ANN BRADY.
