Ontario party leaders are pushing for votes again today as the provincial election race rounds off its second week. Conservative Party leader Doug Ford says he’ll ban Chinese components from all future energy procurements, while NDP leader Marit Stiles is promising to get thousands of more nurses in the province if elected.
Here’s what the party leaders are saying today.
DOUG FORD
Progressive Conservative Party leader Doug Ford was in Oakville this morning to deliver an affordable energy plan.
The plan comes a day after U.S. President Donald Trump signaled he would impose new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
Ford referenced Trump’s intentions to “annex” Canada.
“This threat is real,” he said, adding his signature tag line, “Canada is not for sale.”
The PC party leader reinforced the importance of securing Canada’s border, and called on Trudeau’s government to clamp down on institutions involved in the illegal movement of fentanyl as well as to publicly name the “Fentanyl Czar.”
Meanwhile he says Canada and the United States have to remain united against the shared threat of China.
“If we want to protect our workers and their pay cheques we need to fight together, not each other,” he said while referencing Fortress Am-Can, a renewed alliance between the U.S. and Canada formed in the interest of building security, stability and long-term economic growth on both sides of the border.
Fortress Am-Can involves establishing an integrated energy and electricity grid that powers economic growth on both sides of the border.
Ford says if re-elected his government will also ban Chinese components from all future energy procurements, including banning any Chinese state-owned enterprise from “buying or taking equity in any Ontario government funded energy, critical mineral or major infrastructure asset.”
MARIT STILES
NDP leader Marit Stiles honed in on improving working conditions for nurses.
“Instead of respecting nurses and health-care workers, Doug Ford froze their wages and took them to court. And the Liberals? They invented hallway health care in the first place,” she wrote on X on Monday morning.
Stiles said as premier she would hire 15,000 more nurses over the next three years to ensure a safer staff to patient ratio.
Instead of respecting nurses and health care workers, Doug Ford froze their wages and took them to court. And the Liberals? They invented hallway health care in the first place.
— Marit Stiles (@MaritStiles) February 10, 2025
Now, more nurses than ever are leaving Ontario’s hospitals.
Without nurses, there is no health…
She also pledged to end the reliance on private, for-profit nursing agencies that the NDP says are costing the province’s health-care system hundreds of millions a year.
In addition to addressing the health-care crisis, Stiles also wants to tackle expensive grocery prices. On Saturday, Stiles announced a monthly grocery rebate to offset the rising costs of food.
“Seven years of Doug Ford have cost you. So, we’re giving some of that increase back to help you afford food. The rebate amount in our program is based on how much the cost of essential groceries like milk, bread and vegetables have increased under Ford,” the announcement says.
BONNIE CROMBIE
Leader of the Ontario Liberals Bonnie Crombie was in Toronto this morning, where she continued her charge on Ford’s lapsed focus on health-care.
“Voters have a choice: a $2.1 billion mega spa or a credible plan to get everyone a family doctor…your health-care is my priority,” she wrote on X.
Voters have a choice: a $2.1 billion mega spa or a credible plan to get everyone a family doctor.
— Bonnie Crombie 🇨🇦 (@BonnieCrombie) February 10, 2025
Your healthcare is my priority. pic.twitter.com/xKG5g4Auga
Crombie has already outlined a plan to recruit more physicians in Ontario and has promised to provide every resident with a family doctor.
The party says it will expand capacity for internationally trained physicians to practice in northern and rural areas, and inject $250 million over four years to retain family doctors who have left their practice or are close to retirement.
MIKE SCHRIENER
Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner spoke in Toronto this morning and will be in Cambridge this afternoon.
On Saturday, Schreiner also turned his focus to health-care, particularly in rural areas.
“People in rural communities are tired of premiers obsession on the GTA,” he wrote on X.
“We don’t need a tunnel under the 401, we need healthcare for our rural communities,” he continued, referring to Ford’s plan to build a tunnel under the highway.
I think half of Burk’s Fall got up early for our 8:30am breakfast with @MikeSchreiner.
— Matt Richter (@MattRichterGPO) February 8, 2025
People in rural communities are tired of premiers obsession on the GTA.
We don’t need a tunnel under the 401, we need healthcare for our rural communities! pic.twitter.com/vubO5ZybTa
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Ontario voters head to the polls in a general election on Feb. 27.
