During an extended interview this morning on The Bill Kelly Show on AM 900 in Hamilton, OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas called out Doug Ford for his plan to use the “notwithstanding clause” to override Torontonians’ constitutional rights to free expression.
During the broadcast, Thomas called on Conservative backbenchers to join the opposition and vote Ford down.
“I don’t think Mr. Ford understands what democracy really is,” said Thomas. “He got 40 per cent of the vote but that means 60 per cent of the people didn’t vote for him. Once you’re elected, you’re supposed to represent everybody not just your base.
“There are a lot of good, thoughtful people in the Conservative cabinet and backbenches,” said Thomas. “I say to them: this is not the Tory party. Tories respect the law, but Ford doesn’t.
“It’s time for them to give their own boss a bit of a tune-up. They have to say: ‘You’re not a dictator. You don’t have absolute power.'”