Articles by Robert Benzie

Dec 9 2019 — Robert Benzie — Toronto Star — Premier Doug Ford could balance the budget a year earlier than planned if the Progressive Conservatives can limit the growth of program spending and avoid cutting taxes, says Ontario’s fiscal watchdog. Financial Accountability Officer Peter Weltman said if the Tories can stick to their promised 1.4 per cent average annual increase, they could almost be […]

Oct 16 2019 — Robert Benzie — Toronto Star — The federal Liberals are prepared to back Toronto’s new Ontario Line with billions in transit funding, the Star has learned. If re-elected on Monday, Justin Trudeau’s Liberals will support the line that Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford announced in April.

Oct 1 2019 — Robert Benzie — Toronto Star — Justin Trudeau is schooling Premier Doug Ford over the labour unrest in Ontario schools. The federal Liberal leader, who wants to link Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer to the Progressive Conservative premier, sounded off against Ford on Tuesday in Richmond Hill. “I am a parent with kids in the Ontario public system and I really wish […]

Sep 30 2019 — Robert Benzie — Toronto Star — Premier Doug Ford is itching to fire back at federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau for constantly attacking his provincial Progressive Conservative government, sources told the Star. Ford, who has shown remarkable discipline throughout the federal campaign in order not to hurt Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, has privately told associates he is growing fed up with […]

Sep 16 2019 — Robert Benzie — Toronto Star — The Ontario Liberals will learn Thursday if their shrinking caucus will shrink some more. That’s when the federal Liberals are holding a much-delayed nomination meeting for the Ottawa-area riding of Orléans, where Grit MPP Marie-France Lalonde is running to succeed retired MP Andrew Leslie. If Lalonde (Orléans) gets the nod, she will resign as an […]

Aug 19 2019 — Robert Benzie — Toronto Star — Premier Doug Ford’s ties to lobbyists have “alarmed” a Progressive Conservative riding association president, according to an internal party email obtained by the Star. In a letter to Ford, Tory executive director Mike Crase, and other PC officials, Lillo Ognibene complained about the premier’s appointment of a dozen lobbyists to his 17-member re-election committee. “These […]

Aug 13 2019 — Robert Benzie — Toronto Star — The stickers are in the mail. Ontario’s controversial new gas-pump decals that warn against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s carbon-pricing measures will be in place well before the official launch of the Oct. 21 federal election campaign. They are being sent to thousands of gas stations in time for the Progressive Conservative government’s self-imposed Aug. 30 […]

Aug 9 2019 — Robert Benzie — Toronto Star — Doug Ford, who is struggling in public-opinion polls, insists federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer is not “distancing himself” from an unpopular Ontario premier with an election looming. Ford told reporters Friday in Kitchener that he has a “good” rapport with Scheer. “I’ve talked to Andrew and I’m the premier of Ontario and I’ve got to […]

Aug 1 2019 — Robert Benzie — Toronto Star — Progressive Conservative MPPs from Scarborough, North York and Markham are urging their own government to save existing pediatric and obstetric services at the Birchmount hospital. Last week, six Tory MPPs met with senior aides to Premier Doug Ford and Health Minister Christine Elliott to plead their case for stopping the maternity ward move from the […]

Jul 30 2019 — Robert Benzie — Toronto Star — Down in the polls and scrambling to regroup after a rocky start to summer for his 13-month-old government, Premier Doug Ford insists Ontarians are behind him. “The people out there when I go from town to town — and I’m all over the province — people come up to me and the number one comment […]

Jul 22 2019 — Robert Benzie — Toronto Star — Premier Doug Ford has revamped his re-election campaign team, enlisting respected Progressive Conservative veterans and injecting new blood in the wake of the “French connection” cronyism scandal. “I am writing today to inform you about the newly formed leader’s advisory council on election readiness,” Ford wrote in an email to scores of Tory supporters Friday. […]

Jul 16 2019 — Robert Benzie — Toronto Star — Premier Doug Ford bills himself and his government as “for the people,” but a new poll suggests a clear majority of Ontarians do not believe he cares about people like them. The Corbett Communications survey for the Star indicates the cronyism scandal engulfing Ford’s office appears to be damaging the premier’s carefully constructed image as […]

Jun 26 2019 — Robert Benzie — Toronto Star — Premier Doug Ford is under pressure to expand a review of Progressive Conservative patronage appointments in the wake of the Dean French nepotism scandal. French, a close friend of Ford’s, resigned as the premier’s chief of staff last week after it came to light that he had awarded six-figure government jobs to his son’s friend […]

Jun 25 2019 — Robert Benzie — Toronto Star — Premier Doug Ford is investigating the French connections in the wake of a cronyism scandal that is embroiling his Progressive Conservative government. Ford on Tuesday “called for a review of all pending appointments” after a relative of his former chief of staff, Dean French, resigned from the Public Accountants Council. French, who stepped down after […]

Jun 13 2019 — Robert Benzie — Toronto Star — As Progressive Conservative MPPs privately complain to Premier Doug Ford about a “culture of fear” amid tongue lashings from his chief of staff, they are being urged to attend his annual “Ford Fest.” In an internal caucus email obtained by the Star, the premier’s office is reminding Tory members to come to the Markham fairgrounds […]