Presented by Ontario’s Universities
ABOVE THE FOLD
A TOUCHY TETE-A-TETE — This morning, the potential for fireworks: Premier DOUG FORD will host Alberta Premier DANIELLE SMITH — and the former is already distancing himself from the latter’s trans youth controversy.
Set the table: Smith is making stops in Ottawa and Toronto — where she and Ford will sit down for a “working breakfast” — before heading stateside to Washington to advocate for Wild Rose Country. (One theory is that breakfast could go down at Perkins Restaurant, a favourite of Ford’s that’s close to the airport.)
It’s not so much what’s on the agenda but rather what’s not on the agenda that’s causing a stir. Smith may want to talk about economic policies for Alberta, but her recently announced hot-potato move restricting treatment and surgeries for trans youth is hovering over her tour like a dark cloud. Smith’s policies have sparked much backlash and protests at her Legislature.
Ford doesn’t want anything to do with that.
