Weekly wrap: What happened on the Ontario election campaign trail?
As provincial party leaders entered their final full week of campaigning, devastation rocked Ontario as a storm tore through the southern and eastern edges of the province.
This led to a change of campaign plans for some leaders. Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca announced he was suspending his campaign to meet first responders, families and businesses in Easter Ontario`s Clarence Rockland. Not long after, PC Leader Doug Ford arrived in Uxbridge, one of the areas worst hit by the storm.
This natural disaster brought the environment back into the fold of election topics with NDP Leader Andrea Horwath focusing on making disaster relief program funding flow quicker to residents after severe weather events. Meanwhile, Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner reminded voters of their plans to reach net zero, while doubling the size of the greenbelt.
On this week's episode of Ballot Box, the team breakdowns down the highlights:
- Both Horwath and Schreiner returned to the campaign trail after testing positive for COVID-19
- An estimated 60 PC candidates did not appear at local debates
- Dozens of MPP investment properties amount to more than $36 million
- A new poll found Ford widened his lead as the Liberals and NDP race for second
- One downtown Toronto riding will have 75 per cent fewer voting polls than 2018
Chief Data Analyst Nick Nanos joins Ballot Box this week to talk about whether party leaders can catch up to the PCs lead and why certain issues are soaring as a priority for voters.
"The trend over the course of the election has been relatively consistent to one extent or another. And I think this is because none of the major parties, the major leaders have made a mistake," Nanos said, adding that the real race appears to be for the position of Official Opposition.
CTV News Toronto has a platform guide of 10 election issues that breaks down where each party stands on everything from discounted transit fares to rebates on licence plate renewal fees.
Ballot Box is your one-stop shop for news from the campaign trail, breaking down the promises, politics and punches thrown during the week. The podcast airs every Friday on the iHeart radio app before becoming available on other streaming platforms.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.