List of Seriously Unethical, Secretive and Undemocratic Actions by Doug Ford’s PC Party Government from May 2018 to May 2022
Based on the following 25 seriously unethical, secretive and undemocratic actions, Democracy Watch gives the Doug Ford PC Party government an F fail grade for the past four years:
- Issued a brief, incomplete 2018 election platform that misled voters about what Ford’s PC Party planned to do (especially it’s planned unethical and undemocratic actions).
- Ford refused to disclose his mandate letters to Cabinet ministers despite being ordered three times to disclose them, and wasted taxpayer’s money for four years trying to keep them secret.
- Ford tried to appoint his old friend Ron Taverner as Ontario’s top cop.
- When that was justifiably condemned as a dangerously unethical appointment that would damage law enforcement and government accountability, Ford offered Taverner an executive job at the Ontario Cannabis Store.
- Imposed more political Cabinet control over appointments to agencies, boards, commissions and tribunals (ABCTs), and also made changes to give Cabinet more control over provincial judge appointments.
- Then appointed inexperienced, party-connected people to many ABCTs, drastically decreasing protection of human rights, the rights of renters, social welfare rights, consumers and the environment, which resulted in record-high complaints.
- Set up a PC Party fake news service on social media using the public’s money, and then Ford and Cabinet ministers gave exclusive access to the service’s fake reporters while refusing to answer the real media’s questions.
- Ford appointed one of his top election campaign advisers to a plum job in Washington, and increasing his pay by $75,000.
- Ford appointed his campaign adviser and staff person Jenni Byrne to the Ontario Energy Board.
- Ford appointed his family lawyer as chairperson of the Public Accountants Council.
- Allowed dozens of former 2018 PC Party campaign workers, and Cabinet minister staff, to lobby for big businesses.
- Gave many of the big business clients of Ford-PC Party connected lobbyists what they want.
- Ford allowed his Chief of Staff to pressure police to enforce a law the way the PC Party government wanted it enforced.
- Ford allowed his Chief of Staff to do favours for family members, friends and PC-Party connected people.
- Violated the right of Ontarians to sue the government for negligent, harmful actions.
- Violated the right of Ontarians to health care services when they travel outside of Canada.
- Violated the public consultation requirement in Ontario’s environment protection law.
- And then again violated the public consultation requirement in Ontario’s environment protection law.
- Violated the requirement to consult with Indigenous peoples before proceeding with resource developments.
- Violated Charter rights by trying to force gas stations to put a PC Party government propaganda sticker on pumps.
- Violated the rights of students to fund their own student associations.
- Violated the Charter rights of interest groups to inform voters about issues leading up to an election, and also made changes to allow wealthy donors to have more influence over politicians and parties.
- And then Ford became the first Ontario Premier to use the notwithstanding clause to ensure he could violate Charter rights.
- Lied in an ad about the carbon tax.
- Issued one-page 2022 election platform that is again likely misleading voters about everything a PC government will do (especially unethical and undemocratic actions).