Ontario’s new Progressive Conservative party leader is promising to give people a voice on the fate of a proposed transit system for Hamilton.
Doug Ford spoke with Scott Thompson of Global News Radio 900 CHML ahead of Ford’s Tuesday evening appearance in Hamilton.
On the issue of Hamilton’s proposed $1-billion light rail transit line (LRT), Ford stresses that he would take a different approach than the Liberal government, which he described as, “You take this, ram it down your throat, or we’re taking all the funding away.”
Ford insists that a PC government would instead listen, and “if people want the LRT, the majority of people, we’re gonna move forward based on where they want it.”
“If they don’t want it, we’re still going to keep the money into infrastructure in Hamilton.”
Ford believes that his party represents the “hard working blue collar folks, grassroots people that haven’t had their voice heard. They get constantly ignored. They’re frustrated when they see billions of dollars being wasted by the Wynne Liberals.”
Later on Tuesday, Ford spoke to supporters gathered at a rally at Carmen’s Banquet Centre.
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During his speech, he repeated his pledge to let Hamiltonians say whether or not they want the $1-billion to go toward building LRT.
Ford also addressed the question of support for the Progressive Conservative party in Hamilton.
“You talk to some people saying, ‘Wow, Hamilton. They don’t elect PCs.’ I differentiate from what they’re saying. I believe that we’re going to win Hamilton.”
He also said he would come back to Hamilton as premier to ensure he delivers on promises he made during the campaign.
“We don’t believe in broken promises,” said Ford. “Because how can I come back here – and I can’t wait to come back as premier – how can I come back and look you square in the eyes and say, ‘I didn’t do what I said I was going to do’? I’m going to do the opposite. We’re going to have a checklist, saying, ‘We did it, we did it, we did it, we did it.’ All the way down the road.”
An Ontario election is expected on June 7.
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