In that sense, the day’s political doubleheader was more of a reprise than a surprise. The harsh reality of this week’s post-election throne speech contrasted sharply with the upbeat pre-election budget released by the Tories in April - reissued later Tuesday with only minor changes. “New fiscal challenges here in Ontario and across Canada … will require prudent economic management.” “Ontario … must be prepared for the possibility of a near-term economic slowdown,” the government cautioned.

The current economic outlook is clouded, with coded warnings of a looming recession amid high inflation: In a peculiar democratic anachronism, the Queen’s representative is duty-bound to read from a text ghostwritten by the government of the day setting out its political agenda.įour years ago, abiding by a script more polemical than magisterial, she proclaimed Ontario “Open for Business.” But with COVID-19 closing so many businesses, the slogan hasn’t aged well on all those highway billboards and didn’t bear repeating. On Tuesday, unable to control the selection of speaker, Ford could at least dictate the speech delivered by Lt.-Gov.

Two days ago, unionists gathered on its front lawn to call for a general strike. Two months ago, voters sent him back to Queen’s Park in a general election. The first defeat of his second term stung. His second term in power has barely begun.Ĭase in point: The premier faced an early rebellion this week from Progressive Conservative MPPs, many of whom joined the opposition in voting down his hand-picked choice to be speaker of the legislature to replace a popular incumbent.

Clarion ford