Ford finds his fiscal backbone

Liberals light the leadership torch

ABOVE THE FOLD

News Fridays are back. The Ford government cracked open the Public Accounts, dropping the real numbers from last year’s books — and tossing in a hiring freeze at provincial agencies for good measure (consider it red meat for the “Ford’s-not-fiscally-Conservative-enough” crowd convening IRL tomorrow). Over in Liberal land, the Grits fired the starting gun on the race to replace BONNIE CROMBIE. Let’s get to it.

FREEZE, PLEASE — Treasury Board Prez CAROLINE MULRONEY hit the brakes on hiring at Ontario’s agencies — think: Metrolinx, the LCBO, Infrastructure Ontario; the list goes on.

Not so soft on the spreadsheets: Mulroney pitched the play as “disciplined and responsible” — but, real talk: it’s also fodder for the fiscal hawks gathering tomorrow who think DOUG FORD isn’t Conservative enough (more on that momentarily).

The gist: Agencies that want to expand can still recruit new hires, but the powers-that-be will have to sign-off first. Consultants will also be capped at Mar…