A wrench in early election plans

"Stay tuned"

ABOVE THE FOLD

As Premier DOUG FORD continues to fuel snap-vote speculation, Opposition leaders are poking holes in his rationale for going to the polls as soon as this winter.

The latest: Ford still refuses to rule out an early election, something Queen’s Park has been buzzing about since last spring. But with DONALD TRUMP taking office on January 20, the Premier is kicking that chatter up a notch.

“Stay tuned,” is all he would offer when asked if he would call a vote should Trump impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods.

“We may have to put tens of billions of dollars into the economy to keep people moving, keep people afloat,” Ford said at an event with Mississauga Board of Trade president TREVOR McPHERSON. “And to be very frank, I do not have the mandate to spend tens of billions of dollars right now.”

Regular readers will recall that the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s tariff threat provides the majority-enjoying Premier the rationale he needs to call a vote. Ford has argued tha…