Demonstrators gather outside Doug Ford’s rally in Kitchener
Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford was in Kitchener Friday night, holding a campaign rally at Bingemans.
“It's time to paint Kitchener-Waterloo blue in '22. So on June 2, everybody let's do it, let's get it done and God bless the people of Ontario,” Ford told supporters.
As Ford made his pitch to voters inside, outside, demonstrators weathered rain and thunder to speak out against his leadership.
“When I started teaching right after Mike Harris, I taught kindergarten, so my first year I had 27 kids,” said teacher Jennifer Garneau Duncan. “Then the next year, when the Liberals came in, they were down to 20. Now it’s back up to 27, which is an insane amount for kindergarten.”
Educators were one of several groups – each advocating for their own priorities and interests – that lined the entrance to Bingeman’s ahead of Ford’s rally.
Other demonstrators carried signs with references to the environment, healthcare and housing.
Some of the messages targeted protections for drinking water and trees, capping class sizes, creating a greater supply of affordable housing and protecting public healthcare.
Many placards were aimed at repealing Bill 124, which limits wage increases for public-sector workers, including nurses.
Members of the Ontario Nurses Association (ONA) made up the largest portion of demonstrators hoping to get their message across to Ford on Friday.
“We‘re here to show him… we need help. Registered nurses in this province are beyond the breaking point. We are at the point of collapse now,” said Erin Ariss with the ONA.
“We need to see his oppressive wage legislation repealed. Beyond that, we need to have a sustainable workforce with manageable workload, Ontario is 30,000 RNs short.”
The Ontario election is June 2.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.