Ford and Tory play defence
Plus: Big day for the next leader of the NDP, Speaker's reading list, post-election polls, a cross-partisan lunch, Ford's new digs
ABOVE THE FOLD
In one of his first post-swearing-in meetings, Premier DOUG FORD hosted Toronto Mayor JOHN TORY at Queen’s Park for about a 75-minute closed-door tete-a-tete. Here’s what they discussed with reporters later on.
— On the Premier’s 28-year-old nephew and rookie MPP MICHAEL FORD nabbing a spot on the front bench as Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism: He’s got “extensive experience” and has “he’s been an elected official probably longer than more than 60 per cent of our caucus.” Tory, who worked with the younger (and elder) Ford at Toronto City Hall, backed up the Premier: “He does understand his community as well as anybody else — and it is one of the most multicultural communities in all of Toronto, if not all of Canada…Give him a chance.”
— On when the Legislature will resume for a summer sitting to pass the budget: “It’s going to be very shortly…bear with me for a week,” Ford said, explaining that he wants to “have our fi…