It was a rough week for Ontario Premier Doug Ford. His Tories are looking up at the leaderless Liberals in latest polling. His tone-deaf, off brand decision to buy a jet. An unhinged rant against Liberal MPP Stephanie Smyth. And gutting the Freedom of Information laws paint the Premier as unaccountable and sneaky. This week’s On the Ledge former Premier, the Honourable Kathleen Wynne, former Ontario PC Leader and Mayor of Toronto, John Tory, veteran political commentator Keith Leslie and Toronto SUN columnist Brian Lilley join host Dave Trafford to dig into a challenging stretch for Premier Doug Fordand broader questions about the government’s direction. For the first time in months, the conversation on the pod has NOT been dominated by comments Premier Ford made at "an unrelated news conference". The legislature is not sitting this week and, uncharacteristically, Ford has not used the off week to make his usual podium pronouncements from various provincial locales. Is the premier purposefully stepping away from the media this week? Probably advisable given the comms, policy, polling and political grief he's been taking - including his decision to expropirate most of the Toronto Islands, Little Norway Park and big-foot his way into municipal politics across the province. It leads us to focus on his apparant lack of vision and messaging discipline. With no election on the horizon, the question isn’t just what happens next. The question is whether the Ford government can reset, refocus, and recover by articulating a compelling agenda for the years ahead. Chapters 00:00 – Introduction Dave Trafford introduces On the Ledge and the roundtable. 01:15 – Ford’s Rough Weeks and the Stephanie Smythe Fallout The panel discusses Doug Ford’s apology, media blowback, and questions about political judgment. 04:00 – Communication Discipline and Overexposure John Tory, Keith Leslie, and the panel examine why premiers get into trouble when they answer for every issue. 06:15 – FOI, Accountability and the Greenbelt Connection The discussion turns to freedom-of-information changes and concerns about what the government may be trying to shield. 09:20 – Billy Bishop Airport and Toronto’s Waterfront Fight The panel explores the proposed airport expansion, municipal politics, Olivia Chow, and waterfront livability. 19:20 – Strong Mayor Powers and Regional Governance Discussion shifts to Niagara, appointed regional chairs, municipal restructuring, and democratic accountability. 24:30 – Ford’s Poll Slump and an Aimless Government Brian Lilley’s column frames a broader debate about whether the Ford government has lost its sense of purpose. 28:45 – What’s the Vision for a Fourth Ford Mandate? The panel looks at polling, “time for change” numbers, affordability, infrastructure, and whether Ford can reset. 37:30 – Taxes, Public Services and the ‘Am I Better Off?’ Test Debate over Ford’s no-tax-increase record, education funding, health care, housing, and day-to-day affordability. 41:55 – Remote Work, Queen’s Park and Political Hypocrisy The panel discusses reports that Ford worked from home after ordering public servants back to the office. 47:30 – Cell Phones in Schools and Education Culture Brian Lilley and the panel discuss school cell phone rules, parents, teachers, and broader challenges in education. You can watch OR listen to this episode on our YouTube Channel (Be sure to subscribe!) Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X And you can leave us a voice comment here! For more information go to Dave's website.
