Ford ready to take on Wynne

New Ontario PC leader Doug Ford says he wants to straighten out the province’s finances and is eager to take on Premier Kathleen Wynne in the June election.

As he begins his first week of campaigning to be Premier of Ontario, Ford says his party is now united and focused on defeating Wynne and had a chance to speak with her today.

“I have a great deal of respect for her, she’s a great campaigner, great debater and I never underestimate her, but she’s never debated Doug Ford before and I can’t wait.”

Wynne pitching herself as the candidate ready to invest in people, “Mr. Ford and I disagree on a lot of things, that there will be a stark choice in June. What we are putting forward as a platform is very, very different than what any of the Conservatives were putting forward which is cutting and removing supports from people.”

Ford was named leader of the problem-plagued PC’s late Saturday after the leadership vote saw lengthy delays and uncertainty regarding the results. Ford narrowly beat out Christine Elliott who conceded yeaterday after a review of vote “irregularities”. She’d argued thousands of members were assigned to incorrect ridings, including Mount Hope in Hamilton but the party saying there was no impact on the results.

The newly crowned PC leader says he’s going to repeal the current sex-ed curriculum, reduce hydro rates and eliminate the carbon tax, saying he appeals to a wide range of voters.

NDP leader Andrea Horwath told us, “I think this election it’s time for people to think about something completely different.” Saying she feels the PC party is not fit to lead the province.

Ford has never held a seat in the provincial legislature but has indicated he will try to get a seat representing Etobicoke north.