Doug Ford and the Ugly Canadians

I must admit that I never paid too much attention to Doug Ford until recently. I just saw him as the lesser half of the ghastly Ford Brother's Comedy and Horror show that almost tanked Toronto.

A political thug who tries to intimidate anyone who doesn't agree with him. 

A millionaire who claims he's fighting the "elites" who he defines this way...

Doug Ford, the new leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, on who he defines as “elites.” Tonight on The Agenda, at 11pm. #onpoli pic.twitter.com/sx7vwyeVo0

— The Agenda | TVO (@TheAgenda) March 17, 2018

And is, as you can see, a ghastly Con clown, who if he lost another couple of IQ points would have to be watered rather than fed.

But of course, now I have to take him seriously.



Because now that monstrous ape is threatening to become the Premier of Ontario.

And even though he hasn't a clue about how to run a province, or how to plug a $4 billion hole in the PC platform, all many in the Con media keep repeating is that he's NOT Donald Trump.

And some like Margaret Wente, are actually arguing that ignorance is a virtue.

Mr. Ford could be a stronger candidate than many people think. In some ways, he’s far better than Patrick Brown ever was. He’s authentic. His beliefs are crystal clear. His grasp of policy is a bit shaky — but so what? It’s not hard to grasp what he stands for. 

He understands exactly who his voters are and what they want. His ideas are easy to grasp. His liabilities — which include his utter ignorance of the way the province operates — could be seen as advantages, just as they are by Donald Trump’s supporters.

As only that serial plagiarist could...



While somehow forgetting to mention that he's in hock to the social conservatives who made him leader, and want him to wage war on women's rights, and bullied LGBT children in our schools.

And never mind his alleged drug dealing.

As two books on the Ford Brother's Comedy and Horror Show point out, his more recent record couldn't be more appalling.

Two books on the Rob Ford years – Mayor Rob Ford: Uncontrollable, by former chief of staff Mark Towhey, and The Only Average Guy by city councillor John Filion – offer insider accounts of Doug’s temperament. In all, they provide a study in presumption, impulsiveness, indiscipline, indiscretion, bullying and an inability to put the team first.

Or more deeply disturbing.



As with many who demand utter loyal, Doug Ford was mistrustful of most everyone. “I only trust the person I shave in the morning,” he told Filion. “That’s it. And I nick him sometimes too.”

Doug once told Filion, in the run-up to his 2014 mayoral run against John Tory, that “you’ve never seen the vicious side of me. You watch.”

Which of course leads to the obvious question: If Ford is so bad, and apparently so popular, are Canadians any better than Americans? 

We have long told ourselves we are more liberal, more peaceful, more tolerant. We believe we are less violent, less religious, less ideological...In social and economic measures, there’s an argument that Canada is a more successful society than the United States.

Is it true? Are we a more successful people? And are we less prone to an ugly populism?

Or are we now the ugly Canadians?

I don't think we are, but now is the time to prove it.

Now is the time to attack this cowardly bully who would sacrifice women and children  to his bestial ambition...



Now is the time to bring down that Con ape.

And save our country in the process...