Here:

And while Doug Ford isn’t exactly like Donald Trump, he shares enough similarities with the current U.S. president to merit the comparisons. Like Trump, even though he’s well off and enjoys considerable wealth, Ford fashions himself a man of the people; someone who is here to defend the average folk’s best interests, immune to backroom deals and the party establishment. Like his late brother, Ford aims to harness the same anti-establishment grievances to win this race.

It’s the kind of populism Trump ran on and garnered him large support, despite being born with a silver spoon in his mouth and having never financially struggled for anything. Ford’s “man of the people” shtick also extends to his direct use of language. Warren Kinsella is right when he recently wrote that Ford “never uses a 20-dollar word when a two-dollar word would suffice.” That appeals to a lot of voters.

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Check this out:

An NDP government would provide Ontarians with dental benefits and pay off students’ post-secondary loans, said leader Andrea Horwath in a speech Saturday that gave a glimpse into her party’s election platform.

“We know we can do better to make sure that everyone can build a good life, right here in Ontario,” she said, outlining five key parts of the party’s upcoming promises for the June 7 election, which also includes improvements to health and long-term care, returning Hydro One to public ownership while cutting rates, universal pharmacare, and boosting corporate tax rates.

“We can help people be healthier, and make more life affordable in Ontario, if we help more people go to the dentist,” she told the NDPs provincial council.

“We are going to make sure every working person in Ontario has dental benefits. And we will make the largest investment in public dental coverage in Ontario’s history — so that every senior can get the dental care they need. And every person on social assistance can get the dental care they need.”

The dental program will be called “Ontario Benefits” and will be portable, moving with Ontarians when they switch employers, she said.

It’ll be pretty hard for Wynne to attack her over this, given the spending spree that is about to be unleashed in the upcoming budget.  Ford can attack it, but everything Horwath is saying is pretty populist.

This election is going to be fun.  Don’t count Horwath out of it!

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There’s nothin’ for us in Belfast
The Pound’s old, and that’s a pity
OK, so there’s the Trident in Bangor
And then you walk back to the city
We ain’t got nothin’ but they don’t really care
They don’t even know you know
They just want money, we can take it or leave it
What we need

Is an Alternative Ulster
Grab it and change it, it’s yours
Get an Alternative Ulster
Ignore the bores and their laws
Get an Alternative Ulster
Be an anti-security force
Alter your native Ulster
Alter your native land
Take a look where you’re livin’
You got the army on the street
And the R-U-C dog of repression
Is barking at your feet
Is this the kind of place you want to live?
Is this where you want to be?
Is this the only life we’re gonna have?
What we need

Is an Alternative Ulster
Grab it and change it, it’s yours
Get an Alternative Ulster
Ignore the bores and their laws
Get an Alternative Ulster
Be an anti-security force
Alter your native Ulster
Alter your native land
They say they’re a part of you
And that’s not true, you know
They say they’ve got control of you
And that’s a lie, you know

They say you will never
Be free, free, free
Alternative Ulster
Alternative Ulster
Alternative Ulster
Alternative Ulster
Oh, you’ve done it now!

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It makes me so bloody mad.

This:

Of the 1,637 Ontario voters surveyed online between March 12 and 14, Campaign Research found that 43 per cent of decided voters intended to support the Progressive Conservatives in the June election, 27 per cent backed the Liberals, and 23 per cent supported the NDP.

Premier Kathleen Wynne’s net approval rating was found to have dropped, with almost 70 per cent stating they disapproved of her, and only 19 per cent approving of her.

When you put yourself ahead of the party – when you start to believe you are the party – you end up paying a steep, steep price.

I’m told there are more Campaign Research results coming shortly – showing that the Ontario Liberal leader is pulling down the Ontario Liberal number.

This all could have been avoided.

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https://twitter.com/kinsellawarren/status/970101758222651392?s=21

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Tks, @kinsellawarren for an amazing lecture, and a wonderful visit generally. But next time, lose the weather. OK? Please? @lisakinsella – you’d have been pleased; he scrubbed up nicely for the day. @UCalgaryLaw pic.twitter.com/WXTB9SEBUS

— Ian Holloway (@LawDeanHolloway) March 15, 2018

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