Rob Ferguson

Rob Ferguson

Ontario Liberal leadership candidates leery of Mark Carney’s airport plan

The federal government’s plan to privatize operations at Pearson International and three more major airports won’t fly unless passengers are protected from fee gouging, candidates for the leadership of the Ontario Liberal party warn. They join labour unions, opposition parties and some other Liberals in expressing concerns about Prime Minister Mark Carney’s move announced earlier this week, prompting Transportation Minister...

Rob Ferguson

Candidates are locked in for Ontario’s Liberal leadership race

Can Ontario Liberals finally make the big breakout they’ve sought after eight years in the doldrums? The next four months will go a long way to answering that question as the party that is third place in the legislature but second in public opinion polls elects a new leader to go up against a politically wounded Premier Doug Ford in...

Rob Ferguson

Navdeep Bains leads Liberal leadership rivals in fundraising

Former federal industry minister Navdeep Bains is the front-runner in the Ontario Liberal leadership race when it comes to fundraising. The latest Elections Ontario figures show donors have contributed $350,058 to the Bains campaign, putting him ahead of Etobicoke-Lakeshore MPP Lee Fairclough, who is in second place with $258,234.

Raisa Patel, Ryan Tumilty, Rob Ferguson

Donald Trump says Canadians ‘need us to survive.’ Doug Ford says Americans ‘need to feel the pain’ from tariffs

Prime Minister Mark Carney says he had agreed with U.S. President Donald Trump to ramp up trade negotiations over the coming weeks — but that Canada is considering “all options” to respond if sweeping new U.S. tariffs take effect next month. “We agreed to intensify negotiations in the coming weeks, and the team and myself look forward to doing that,”...

Rob Ferguson, Robert Benzie

Liberal party under fire as more questions raised about Nate Erskine-Smith’s nomination fight

There are questions as to why the Beaches—East York Liberal MP — whose own 2014 federal nomination win was challenged — and his team didn’t publicly raise concerns during the meeting Saturday.

Rob Ferguson

These voters are mad — and they’re wondering where their floor-crossing MP has gone

The sign on the door says “closed” and Jamie Morningstar is not happy. Clutching an envelope of income tax papers, he’s come for help to the constituency office of local MP Marilyn Gladu, who two weeks ago stunned the populace — and Parliament — by jumping from the Conservatives to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals.

Robert Benzie, Rob Ferguson, Moira Welsh

Doug Ford eyes a byelection win in Scarborough amid Liberal and NDP troubles

Amid Liberal infighting and NDP disarray, Premier Doug Ford is hoping to win Scarborough Southwest for the Progressive Conservatives in a byelection expected this summer. With the stunning departure two months ago of New Democratic MPP Doly Begum to run for Prime Minister Mark Carney’s federal Liberals, Ford has been closely watching developments in the riding.

Rob Ferguson, Robert Benzie, Moira Welsh

‘Where do you live?’ sparks a byelection scrap as Nate Erskine-Smith eyes Ontario Liberal leadership

It’s a flashpoint in the hotly contested race to become the provincial Liberal candidate in Scarborough Southwest. Where do you live?

Rob Ferguson, Robert Benzie

Nate Erskine-Smith urges Liberal rivals to step aside in Scarborough Southwest byelection

The Liberal leadership front-runner is vying for the the Ontario party’s nomination. Make way for the Nate juggernaut. That’s the message from the apparent front-runner in the Ontario Liberal leadership race to rivals hotly contesting the party’s nomination in Scarborough Southwest.

Rob Ferguson

Nate Erskine-Smith associate fined $2,400 for Canada Elections Act violations

A staffer and volunteer for MP Nate Erskine-Smith, a presumed frontrunner in Ontario’s Nov. 21 Liberal leadership race, has been hit with $2,400 in fines for violations under the Canada Elections Act. The administrative monetary penalties against Andrew Goodridge were for failing to comply with political financing and reporting requirements.

Moira Welsh, Rob Ferguson

Here’s how unions that backed Doug Ford scored on funding applications

Almost half of the 17 unions that endorsed Premier Doug Ford for re-election got nearly $40 million from the controversial Skills Development Fund despite low-ranked applications, according to secret data obtained by the Star.

Rob Ferguson

Doug Ford launches feasibility study of an east-west oil pipeline

Premier Doug Ford is taking another step in his push for an east-west energy pipeline, ordering a feasibility study into the potential project amid a tariff war with the United States. To be completed next year, the study will look at costs as well as route options linking oil and natural gas from Alberta and Saskatchewan to “new and established...

Rob Ferguson, Moira Welsh

Government secrecy clouds $237 million in funding to groups that endorsed Doug Ford

The criteria used by the Ford government to hand out millions of dollars through its controversial Skills Development Fund remain a secret as a new Star analysis shows 17 unions and industry groups that endorsed the Progressive Conservatives in the February election received $237 million. There is no transparency on how the various labour and trade organizations were graded despite...

Rob Ferguson

Doug Ford slams Alberta Premier Danielle Smith over possible separation vote

As Prime Minister Mark Carney prepared to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, Premier Doug Ford took a thinly veiled shot at his Alberta counterpart over her threat of a referendum on separation. “This is a time to unite the country, not people saying, ‘oh, I’m leaving the country,’” Ford said Tuesday morning in a speech to a group promoting...

Robert Benzie, Rob Ferguson

Tory MP accuses Doug Ford of ‘sabotaging’ federal campaign by helping Liberals

As the federal Conservatives assess a campaign that saw leader Pierre Poilievre lose his Ottawa-area seat of Carleton, they are pointing fingers at the most powerful Tory in Ontario. Let the blame begin. As the federal Conservatives assess a campaign that saw leader Pierre Poilievre lose his Ottawa-area seat of Carleton, they are pointing fingers at the most powerful Tory...

Robert Benzie, Rob Ferguson

Doug Ford’s surcharge on exports of electricity to the U.S. remains on the table, sources say

The tone has changed, but the threats remain. While Doug Ford says “the temperature is being lowered” in the trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump, the premier is reserving the right to reinstate his 25 per cent surcharge on Ontario’s electricity exports stateside.

Rob Ferguson, Robert Benzie

Recording reveals Doug Ford calling for return of death penalty in campaign speech: ‘Send ‘em right to sparky’

Doug Ford took his tough-on-crime talk to new heights in a campaign speech where he pushed for a return to capital punishment, the Star has learned. Musing about stiffer penalties for home invaders who kill victims, the Ontario Progressive Conservative leader called for changes in the federal Criminal Code that would empower judges to “send ‘em right to sparky.”

Robert Benzie, Rob Ferguson, Kristin Rushowy

Crombie, Stiles pounce on Doug Ford’s hot mic admission that he ‘100%’ wanted Donald Trump to win election

Doug Ford‘s hot mic admission that he “100%” wanted Donald Trump to win the U.S. presidential election has jolted the snap Ontario vote. That’s because Ford framed the Feb. 27 campaign as a referendum on who could best deal with Trump’s threatened tariffs against Canada.

Robert Benzie, Rob Ferguson

Doug Ford overheard saying he was happy Donald Trump became president — ‘then the guy pulled out the knife’

A defensive Doug Ford insists it was not reckless to call a provincial election against the spectre of a trade war that could devastate Ontario’s economy. That came as Ford was caught on a hot mic Monday saying that he “100 per cent” wanted Donald Trump to win the American presidency last November.

Rob Ferguson, Robert Benzie, Kristin Rushowy

Doug Ford warns Pierre Poilievre that Ontario’s auto industry must be protected

Doug Ford is taking a veiled shot at federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, saying whoever is the next prime minister must continue Canada’s supports for the auto industry — particularly in electric vehicles. On the second day of Ontario’s Feb. 27 election campaign, the Progressive Conservative leader, who is seeking a third term in office, said Ontario would maintain its...

Rob Ferguson

Doug Ford pushing to meet with Donald Trump to talk ‘businessman to businessman’

Will there be dinner at Mar-a-Lago? Premier Doug Ford says he’s pressing U.S. contacts for a face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump to persuade the president-elect his threat of 25-per-cent tariffs is a bad idea on both sides of the border.

Robert Benzie, Rob Ferguson

Doug Ford hosting meeting with premiers to discuss response to Trump trade threat

Canada’s provincial and territorial leaders are meeting Monday to discuss U.S. president-elect Donald Trump‘s threatened 25 per cent tariffs against Canadian products. Premier Doug Ford, chair of the Council of the Federation, is hosting the meeting at the Hilton Hotel near Pearson International Airport.

Rob Ferguson

Doug Ford tells Fox News that Trump’s tariff threat a bad idea between friends

Premier Doug Ford went on Donald Trump’s favourite TV network to convince the incoming U.S. president that his threat of 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods is a bad idea. “It’s unfortunate,” Ford told Fox News in a telephone interview Wednesday after his video feed conked out.

Rob Ferguson

Justin Trudeau’s ‘carbon tax’ is ‘wrong,’ Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie says

Taking aim at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s carbon price as “wrong,” Bonnie Crombie says her Ontario Liberals need to go their own way with an early provincial election looming. “We have to get our elbows up,” she said in a Tuesday night speech prepared for the first Liberal leader’s fundraising dinner in eight years, putting $1.65 million into the party’s...

Robert Benzie, Rob Ferguson, Kristin Rushowy

Doug Ford spending nearly half of Ontario’s tax windfall on $200 ‘rebate’ cheques

Premier Doug Ford is spending nearly half of a $6.9-billion tax windfall on $200 pre-election “rebate” cheques. Bolstered by higher than projected revenue from personal income tax, corporations tax and sales tax, Ford’s Progressive Conservatives have earmarked $3 billion to send cheques to 15 million Ontario adults and children in the new year.

Rob Ferguson

Doug Ford’s nephew Michael Ford takes leave from cabinet for health reasons

Premier Doug Ford’s nephew Michael Ford is taking a leave of absence from his post as Ontario’s minister of citizenship and multiculturalism for health reasons. The move comes a month before the legislature is slated to return from an extended summer recess on Oct. 21, and as the premier considers whether to call an early election next spring instead of...

Rob Ferguson

First Nations consultant scolds MPPs at hearing about controversial Sir John A. Macdonald statue

The warning was frank. Four years after a Queen’s Park statue of founding prime minister Sir John A. Macdonald was boarded up for protection from vandals, a committee of MPPs slowly gathering input on its future has been scolded and schooled by a First Nations equity consultant.

Robert Benzie, Rob Ferguson

Doug Ford names new education minister after Todd Smith resigns just 10 weeks into the job

Todd Smith’s surprise resignation after just 10 weeks as education minister has forced Premier Doug Ford to shuffle his cabinet, promoting Colleges and Universities Minister Jill Dunlop to that key post. Smith, 53, a Progressive Conservative MPP since 2011, stepped down Friday in a stunning move that will trigger a byelection in the riding of Bay of Quinte within six months.

Rob Ferguson

Ontario health minister’s concerns about Pierre Poilievre’s interest in forced drug rehab reveals latest tension between the two parties

Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones is taking issue with federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s talk of forcing people with drug addictions into treatment as the country grapples with a deadly opioid crisis. In another sign of tensions between the provincial and federal Tories, with polls suggesting Poilievre is poised to become Canada’s next prime minister, Jones said mandatory rehab is...

Rob Ferguson, Robert Benzie, Raisa Patel

Canada is fighting to get Honda's massive EV expansion. Here's why it's a tough sell

Are the days of multibillion-dollar government subsidies over in Canada for international automakers making the hot new thing — electric vehicle batteries? That question lingers as Honda holds talks with federal officials this week on a potential $18.4-billion auto assembly and electric vehicle battery factory at its complex in Alliston, Ont., which now makes piston-powered Civics and CR-Vs.

Rob Ferguson

Doug Ford's government called him with a 'real challenge' — so he packed his bags for Washington

A former General Motors executive is putting the pedal to the metal as Ontario's new representative to Washington, D.C., helping the province on the road of "accelerated industrial renewal" sparked by two new electric vehicle battery plants. "This is not one and done," David Paterson says of the massive Volkswagen and Stellantis EV factories under construction in St. Thomas and...

Rob Ferguson

How the Greens dealt a stunning blow to the NDP and stole Kitchener Centre

Mike Schreiner was never so happy to be so wrong. The Green leader predicted last week’s byelection in the NDP riding of Kitchener Centre would “go down to the wire," but his candidate won by a whopping 5,022 votes in a stunning blow to the New Democrats soon after dumping Hamilton Centre MPP Sarah Jama from their caucus for