Ontario Minister of Trade Jim Wilson was recently questioned about Doug Ford’s ‘open for business’ sign at the Canada/U.S. border.
Setting up the sign is something Ford said during his election campaign that he would do if he became premier.
Wilson was announcing province-wide consultations to reduce red tape and help Ontario businesses, but no mention of sign, location, or cost.
That didn’t stop the debate on whether such a sign is needed.
Isn’t Ontario always open for business?
Do we need a costly sign to promote who we are?
Don’t we have an Ontario sign on the outskirts as you cross the border?
Those are the questions we all asked when Hamilton didn’t have a sign.
Now we do, and most love it, not to mention the exposure it gives the city on a daily basis.
Anyone will tell you if you want to get a message out, you advertise.
Perhaps the message here is less about the product and more about a change in attitude.
Ontario is open, in more ways than one.
Scott Thompson is the host of The Scott Thompson Show on Global News Radio 900 CHML.