Smokescreens, spending, silence

And condolences

Brought to you by Toronto Pearson

ABOVE THE FOLD

DOUG FORD is everywhere these days — pressers, podiums and payouts. The Opposition? Nowhere fast.

So much for a sleepy summer: The Premier is on what feels like a victory lap, doling out giant cheques for municipal housing projects across the province. Last week he hit up St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland with Building-Faster-Fund money in hand, and he’s expected to continue the mayoral tour in the coming days and weeks.

The glossy take-away: It’s another leadership flex for Ford, painted as summer-friendly optics in which the Premier can say, “look at how many homes we’re speeding up” and “how buddy-buddy we are with the mayors.”

Over in Oppo world, things seem a little quieter — or at least more inward facing.

Both NDPer MARIT STILES and Liberal BONNIE CROMBIE are staring down leadership reviews in September following a less-than-stellar showing in February. That means they’ve been busy wooing the card-carrying grassroots this…