Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford was in Peterborough Monday evening for his third visit to the city since he announced his intention to run for the party leadership in February.
In front of dozens of supporters at the Evinrude Centre, Ford was introduced by Peterborough-Kawartha riding Conservative candidate Dave Smith.
Ford began the rally by attacking his political opponents.
“I can tell you the NDP and the Liberals are watching tonight, and they are worried,” said Ford. “Under the NDP, there’s 125,000 people that lost their jobs, unemployment went up 28 per cent.”
He says if he wins the June 7 election, no one is losing their job.
“There are only two people that would be losing their job: One, Kathleen Wynne, and when we clean the hydro mess the $6-million man,” he adds.
Ford also promised to cut hydro bills.
“We’re going to reduce your hydro rates by 12 per cent,” he said.
He told the crow that 85 per cent of workers are employed by small businesses that are currently suffering. His goal is to make sure they all businesses thrive.
An unidentified woman in the crowd interrupted Ford, claiming her business had to shut down.
He told her, “I’m sorry to hear that. Well, hopefully, you can reopen on June 7, or June 8, because help is on its way.”
Ford also said that there are more than 8,000 residents who don’t have a physician in Peterborough.
“We’ll make sure there are enough physicians here to take care of the people, we will guarantee that’s going to happen.”
Ford also promised he would put $1.9 billion over 10 years into mental health and addiction services and homeless shelters.
Several audience members holding signs such as “An extra 6 cents a litre was worth paying for an environmentally safe planet” were escorted out of the room by security.
Earlier in the day, Ford made a stop in Lindsay where he served up ice cream at Kawartha Dairy with Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock PC incumbent Laurie Scott.
Ford also visited Doo Doos Bakery in Bailieboro, just south of Peterborough along side Peterborough-Northumberland candidate David Piccini.