Doug Ford claims 'the largest fundraiser in Canadian history' - 2019-02-27
Doug Ford claims 'the largest fundraiser in Canadian history' February 27, 2019,
Ontario is "open for business," Premier Doug Ford told a Progressive Conservative fundraising dinner Wednesday that was closed to anyone who did not pay $1,250 to attend. Speaking to 3,200 well-heeled supporters at an event from which the media were banned after the Star revealed the Tories enlisted lobbyists to sell tickets, Ford touted his government's accomplishments.
Premier Doug Ford, shown in a file photo, told supporters at a sold-out Progressive Conservative fundraising dinner on Wednesday that difficult decisions loom as his government tackles a $13.5-billion budget deficit. ( Nathan Denette / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILE PHOTO )
"We promised we would make Ontario open for business and open for jobs. Promise made, promise kept," he said, pointing to the 41,000 full-time jobs created in the province last month, extending an era of near-record low unemployment that dates back to former premier Kathleen Wynne's Liberals in 2017. But the premier emphasized Wednesday night at the Toronto Congress Centre that difficult decisions loom as the Tories tackle a $13.5-billion budget deficit. "We continue to fight hard for Ontario workers and Ontario jobs, for the hard working people in private-sector unions. Everything the government of Ontario does is put at risk when you do what the Liberals did and let deficits spiral out of control," he said in a speech that was live-streamed on the Progressive Conservative Party's website.