When Doug Ford was elected premier, he handed out his cell phone number. He wanted, he said, to stay in touch with the ordinary people of Ontario. But that policy soon changed. Martin Regg Cohn writes:
Ford soon changed his number, complaining that he grew weary of hostile questions from the public. Forget, for a moment, the public relations gimmick of pretending to humanize a premier by purporting to be at the beck and call (or text) of 13.7 million people in the country’s most-populous province.
Ford never was a call away. Now he is harder to reach and more remote than ever.
Now, even though he attends question period, Ford doesn't take questions:
He merely sits in his seat, rising only to redirect almost all opposition questions to a cabinet minister who provides cover for him.
Teachers’ strike? Transit reversals? Autism troubles? Patronage scandals?
The premier almost always refuses to answer. On rare occasions, if poked or provoked, prodded or piqued, Ford deigns to respond personally.
But it is the exception that proves the rule: stonewalling and squirming in his seat are his first line of defence.
Only when reassured that the question period rotation has reverted to friendly queries from his fellow Tories will Ford cheerfully engage. With 73 Progressive Conservatives (including the speaker) in the 124-seat legislature, 40 New Democrats, only five Liberals (now lacking official party status) and a single Green MPP, the majority Tories get to ask a disproportionate share of pretend questions of the premier.
Ford relishes a softball. As the scripted question is being asked by a well-rehearsed PC backbencher, the premier sneaks a peak at the cheat sheet prepared by his staff, refreshes his memory, and regurgitates the pre-arranged reply.
He imagines it a dialogue of the deft — two Tories talking to each other in public on the public dime. But when a New Democrat takes the floor, Ford becomes deaf to any dialogue with the opposition, for whom question period was first conceived.
In this "government of the people," the premier has gone deaf.
Image: The Toronto Star
6 comments:
Doug gave out his phone number because that's what his brother Rob would have done. By all accounts, Rob actually answered his phone and went to bat for his constituents. That was one of the things that made him so popular despite his obvious flaws. Doug's behaviour in the legislature shows him to be a preening thug along the lines of the Orange Dotard or Saddam Hussein.
Cap
The Man of the People seems to be afraid of the people, Cap.
I read, saw & heard Ms Mulroney, mistress of Transportation stumbling along with her talking points while blaming the previous government re the Ford Government bailing on the Hamilton LRT. It was a pitiful performance. Her attempt lacked the Ford gift for grift. I was never under any illusion I was not watching someone other than Doug sent out to take the punishment and spare him the damage. One billion was the promise or capital cost projected. Then the headlines said the cost had ballooned to 5.5 Billion and that was the reason for cancelling. All the Liberals fault. Some background whispers about Ford's projection included all costs including over the next 30 years
Surely Doug et al could lay out the Liberal promise particulars versus the new 'Conservative facts' ? And the comparison should be obvious to a Grade Three class. Ms Multoney blinked approx 26 times in 13 seconds in the clip I watched. That's either a serious tick affliction or an obvious 'tell'. Best she not take up poker in my view. And have to say.. Doug lounging in his seat at Queen's Park is shocking. Who has ever seen a non drinking vegan with a belly you could build a world class ski jump on ? That guy is begging for serious cardiac issues. NDP, Green and Liberals should be seriously gearing up to dump him into an Opposition seat, or pimp himself to become a useless federal backbencher. Lots of vegan fare in Ottawa where he won't be expected to speak or even sppear during Question Period.. other than lob scripted softball setups for more skilled thugs
Caroline Muloney left her law practice to take the heat for Doug Ford, sal? Not a wise move.
Ford was always deaf and not too bright, in my opinion. He thought being Premier would be easy. Being Premier and having to deal with Question Period, means not only having to retain information, but put it out there in a manner others can understand and get a few shots in at the same time. You need to be fast on your feet to do Question Period well. Ford, isn't that fast or smart. My sense is, he may not be smart enough to be afraid of the people, but rather his handlers have decided he isn't smart enough to handle Question Period or answer his own phone.
For all we have said about his brother the Mayor and his behaviour, he had at one time a sense of "charm" about him. He had a friendliness about him. The lesser brother, Premier, just doesn't have it. In my opinion, the brother is simply "nasty' like his " cousin" to the south.
there is always a price to pay when you come to the dance with some one, you ought not to have. Ms. Mulroney ought to have learnt that from her Father.
You have to wonder, e.a.f, if Caroline is happy with the choice she made.
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